


Mother's Nature

by Laurawrzz



Series: Destiny [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Accidents, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Babies, Birthday, Childhood, Childhood Memories, Doctor Whump, F/M, Fluff, Gallifrey, Gallifreyan, Gen, Illnesses, M/M, Multi, Post-Episode AU: s04e13 Journey's End, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, Smut, Weddings, Whump, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-08-27 17:40:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 76,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8410576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laurawrzz/pseuds/Laurawrzz
Summary: As Earth struggles with the reality of aliens it becomes wrongly upgraded to a Level 6 planet, endangering the species visiting Earth. Seeking refuge, some old associates of the Doctor turn up in Torchwood, but they've been long since dead ...





	1. The Wedding of Martha and Mickey

**Author's Note:**

> So we head into the next rework! Part of a series, and you might enjoy reading the previous :D
> 
> Originally posted on FF.net in 2012 under reddwarfaddict, this has been reworked a little to be a lot less teenage-ry.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Martha and Mickey’s wedding, the Doctor, Rose and Jack have to disguise the presence of alien holidaymakers.

“Do you, Martha Angela Jones, take Mickey Theodore Smith, to be your lawfully wedded husband?

“I do.”

The Doctor nudged Rose sitting next to him in the row of chairs and she turned, somehow already knowing what he was going to do.

_ Theodore?!  _ he mouthed, grinning at her. 

She rolled her eyes and nudged him back.  _ Don't be mean to him! _

The Doctor suppressed a laugh, beaming from ear-to-ear as he turned to watch the ceremony again, folding his arms. Mickey and Martha, getting married. The Doctor wasn't going to lie, he felt strangely paternal about it all. His two little human friends he'd raised and nurtured to grow into beautiful bright flowers of time travelling intergalactic saviours of the Universe. Getting married.

They had first been discovered as a couple by Jack, having a quick session in one of Torchwood's medical rooms after-hours. Pretty soon after that, the truth had come pouring out that they had actually been at it since Leah's second birthday, and the many times Martha had gone to “see her mother” she and Mickey had actually been booking hotels all over London. Which Rose and the Doctor wouldn't have cared about, except for the fact that it had been  _ exactly  _ what they'd been doing when Rose had gone into labour with Alex.

The hot new Torchwood couple claimed they’d been keeping it a secret because they “didn't want it interfering with work”, but pretty soon the entirety of Torchwood knew, and two weeks later they’d announced their engagement. Now it was six months later in August 2012, and here they were, getting married in a posh country house.

Everyone was here. Jack was best man, Jackie was acting groom mother. Martha's family had turned up, as well as several of Mickey and Martha's neighbours. Tish was Maid of Honour and Anwen and Leah were bridesmaids, and Leah had taken her role with gusto.

The Doctor caught his three-year-old daughter’s eye and she waved at him enthusiastically, and he waved back in return. Earlier that morning Jackie had whisked her away to the especially-booked hair and make-up artist, and now her long brown hair was all curled and she had a tiara as she clutched a bouquet of flowers, dressed in a pretty purple dress. He couldn't help marvelling at his beautiful little girl standing there beaming with pride.

“In sickness and in health...”

“In sickness and in health...” Martha repeated.

Suddenly the sound of a crying baby broke the silence of the audience. The Doctor was just thinking how incredibly annoying it was that every event he seemed to go to in the universe had a crying infant, before he realised it was his  _ own _ crying infant. He still wasn’t used to that.

“Alex!” he breathed, leaning over the pram parked next to him. The marriage had paused, and absolutely everyone was staring at him and Rose. Rose sank a little in her chair and hid her face as the Doctor plucked the boy out of the pram and instantly got a whiff of something.

“Sorry!” the Time Lord said quickly to the staring crowd, trying to get a firm grip on the crying and writhing child as he got to his feet. Rose nudged him and handed him the nappy bag which he took, before she slid further down in her chair to resume covering her face in complete embarrassment.

“Sorry!” the Doctor said again to the staring crowd over the sound of Alex crying as the Time Lord walked as casually as he could back down the aisle, only stopping to breath a sigh of relief when the door was closed and he heard the service resume, despite Alex wailing like a foghorn just outside of the door.

“Alex, seriously,  it’s just a bit of poo, no need to get so upset, I’m working on it,” the Doctor told his son, but his son wasn’t being reasonable as he continued to scream. So the Doctor went as quickly as he dared down the grand staircase towards the reception, where a young blonde woman was sat typing. She instantly looked up at the sound of Alex.

“Excuse me!” the Doctor said loudly over the crying infant. “Have you got any nappy changing facilities?”

The receptionist looked between him and his son, and retained her impeccable politeness. “Through there, sir! Third door on the left!” she replied loudly over the screaming, pointing.

“Thank you!” the Doctor yelled back, following her indication through the door and up the hall, counting the doors until he reached a ladies' toilet, and stepped inside.

It was empty. He moved straight over to the nappy changing table, pulling it down and lying the screaming Alex down on it, peeling off the used nappy. He instantly got a very sudden and very pungent stench of baby poo, and immediately wished his Time Lord senses weren’t quite so acute.

Breathing through his mouth, he mentally started his stopwatch and changed the nappy as fast as he could.

“Oh yes! Twenty-five seconds!” he announced to no one in particular, applauding himself for the new record. He picked up Alex again, who had thankfully stopped crying now, and was just staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Want to talk to me yet?” the Doctor wondered. “You're taking your time.”

Alex said nothing in reply, just giggling. The Doctor internally sighed, giving him a smile and kissing him. Leah had been making sounds of words since she had been one-day-old, but Alex was now five-months-old and was yet to make any sounds other than giggling or crying. To add layers to the matter, it seemed like Alex had been ill from the minute he'd been born. Mickey and Martha's wedding was actually the first trip out of the TARDIS Alex had made as a boy who wasn't sick. Since he'd arrived he'd spent four weeks in an incubator, then progressively had disease after disease after disease with almost weekly trips to Martha and long stays in the infirmary.

The Doctor suspected it had a lot to do with the accelerated growth Alex had had in the womb due to the Shadow Proclamation's messing, and the consequential premature birth. Yes, he was worried, but still, having a sick son to hug and love and kiss and raise was better than having no son at all.

The Doctor kissed Alex again, brushing back his thick brown hair from his big blue eyes before picking up the nappy bag in his free hand, turning to the door.

He froze.

“Give me back my son!” a large grey alien woman screamed in a raspy voice, crying.

The Doctor just stared at her for a moment, regarding her. She was a fazian woman using a morphic box to look human, except the box was quite obviously running out of power and she seemed to be stuck halfway between fazian and human, with fangs and a mane among other fazian attributes mixing with a very boney grey-skinned humanoid shape. She was also in a complete mix-matched outfit, a high-cut 'I LOVE NEW YORK' top with tracksuit bottoms and black stilettos. The dress of an alien that had the right components to pass as human but were so very badly pulled off. 

He offered her a smile. “Sorry ... This is  _ my  _ son.”

“You know where he is, don't you?!” she yelled, “you humans! You wretched race! You stole him from me!”

“I'm not human,” the Doctor said quickly. “I'm the Doctor, I'm a Time Lord. Maybe I can help?”

The woman's eyes widened, shining black and hopeful. “You're ... You're the Doctor? Oh please, please help me find my son!”

“Okay, calm down, we'll find him,” the Doctor assured her. “Where did you lose him?”

“By the bedrooms,” she sobbed.

“Right, I'll start a search,” he replied, whipping out the phone Jackie had given him for Christmas as an 'essential line to her grandchildren'. He fiddled with it for a moment before bringing up a new message, to send to Rose.

* * *

 

The wedding service had quickly resumed after the interruption of the crying baby. Rose was sat watching the proceedings in front of her, wondering what exactly was taking the Doctor so long as Martha began her vows.

A phone beeped a text alert. Instantly the ceremony stopped again to several accompanying groans and tuts of a thoroughly annoyed audience. Rose was just thinking how incredibly annoying it was that every event she seemed to go to in the universe had an interrupting phone, until she realised it was her  _ own _ interrupting phone.

Feeling all eyes on her she turned completely red, digging into her pocket for several long and painful seconds, until she finally grasped the offending object and pulled it out, making to turn it off, before she noticed a text from the Doctor. He never texted. 

As people's eyes continued to burn in the back of her skull she opened the message for a quick scan.

**Women loo come quick please thanks D x**

What, four years and two children and he couldn't change a nappy yet? Sighing, she slipped her phone back into her pocket, and got up to do the walk of shame.

“Sorry, sorry,” she muttered continuously as people stared at her, until she finally made it to the doors and slipped out, breathing a sigh of relief.

She made it to reception to find a young blonde woman sat typing. 

“S’cuse me ...” Rose began politely. “Where are the toilets?”

The receptionist pointed the way with a polite smile. Rose thanked her and followed her direction, counting the doors until she found the woman's toilets. She opened the door and stepped inside, to find her husband standing holding their son in one arm, face to face with an alien.

“Umm ...” Rose began, glancing between them. “Hello?”

“Rose!” the Doctor greeted with a smile, turning to her. “This is Geraldine. She's lost her son, George, somewhere in the house.”

“Please help me!” Geraldine sobbed. 

Rose looked at her with absolute sympathy. She knew the woman's fright at losing her child on a strange alien world. Leah had once wandered off while they were on the planet Rox averting a Tranor invasion, and she and the Doctor had spent two hours being absolutely terrified and searching around the entirety of the extremely dangerous and unknown city until they had finally found her in a sweet shop gathering every single sweet available into a basket for her parents to purchase.

“How long have we got until the end of the wedding?” the Doctor asked her.

“When I left Martha was doing her vows,” Rose told him.

“Right, not long,” the Doctor muttered, mulling every option no matter how ridiculous over in his mind. He turned to Rose. “Text Jack, tell him to come to the loos. We need numbers.”

She nodded and quickly drew out her phone.

“My husband, Roger, is also looking,” Geraldine suddenly said. “But our morphic illusions are wearing off.”

“Stay in here, we'll find him,” the Doctor told her gently. “And can you look after my son?”

The Fraxian nodded, still wiping at her eyes before the Doctor handed her Alex. Instantly the boy's eyes filled with tears and reached out desperately to his parents.

“We'll be back in a bit, Alex,” the Doctor told him gently, kissing his forehead, and Rose followed suit. “Be good.”

The Doctor and Rose left the bathroom, shutting the door closed behind them. For good measure the Doctor locked it with the sonic to make sure no one was getting in in a hurry.

“Wait for Jack,” the Doctor said, then looked at her. Then his eyes lowered slightly. “... That's an ...” His eyes snapped up to her face again. “... Interesting dress.” 

She raised an eyebrow. 

“It really ... umm .. emphasises ... human ... umm ... physical aspects.”

She giggled at his expression. “I've been in it all day.”

“I know, but ... Where did you get it?”

“In the TARDIS wardrobe,” Rose replied.

“Oh!” the Doctor realised. “Thought I recognised it.”

“Whose was it?”

He thought that over for a moment. “You probably don't want to know to be honest.”

She tried not to laugh. “Was it yours?” she joked.

“What?” The Doctor's eyes widened.

“You know, those long lonely nights in the Tardis ...”

“Rose!”

“Rocky Horror Picture Show on repeat ...” she continued, tongue between her teeth in a cheeky grin.

The Doctor looked a bit shifty. “I like that film,” he mumbled.

Rose laughed and pointed at him. “You did!”

“I didn't!”

“So what music did you use?” 

“Rose ...”

“Come on. I bet the Tardis has some videos she's just  _ dying  _ to share.”

The Doctor stared at her. She’d come to recognise his guilty face. 

“Oh my god!” she shrieked, laughing. 

“What?” a voice suddenly asked from the hallway and they both turned to find Jack Harkness standing there.

“Jack!” Rose suddenly started, eager. “The Doctor used to ...”

The Doctor quickly clamped his hand over her mouth and smiled at Jack. “How far along is the wedding?”

“Near the end, people were getting out the confetti when I left. What did you used to do?”

“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” the Doctor said quickly, hand still over Rose's mouth. “We've got a problem. There's a lost alien child. Its mum is in the toilet, panicked, and its dad is roaming around here somewhere.”

Jack nodded. “What are we looking for?”

“Either a small human boy, a fazian or something in-between. Fazians have a full coat of fur, a tail, long claws, cone-like ears and a thin grey face with black eyes and fangs, this one answers to the name George ...”

Just as the Doctor finished there came the sound of cheering from above them. 

“Wedding's nearly over,” Rose muttered.

The Doctor nodded. “Jack, you search the second floor, Rose, first floor, and I'll do the ground floor. We'll meet back here in ten minutes if we don't find anything. Allons-y!” He moved off and through the doorway into the entrance hall.

Jack looked at Rose. “... What did he used to do?”

Rose opened her mouth to reply when the Doctor suddenly appeared from around the door frame. “Shift!” he yelled, and reluctantly they moved off in opposite directions.

* * *

 

Ten minutes later they reconvened outside the toilet, having had no success. The wedding guests were beginning to empty from the upstairs to head down to the wedding reception. With the fazian child still loose it was a race against time to find him before any of the guests did, as many of them would not take kindly to an alien presence in the current world situation.

“You don't reckon he got into the service, do you? Or the reception?” Rose wondered.

The Doctor mused on that for a moment. “Maybe. But he can't have been seen yet because there'd be a panic ...”

“Excuse me!” a voice suddenly asked from down the corridor, and the three turned to find a strangely-dressed overweight black-haired man wobbling towards them. He was wearing a white vest that was far too small for him, Hawaiian shorts and Wellington boots, his face round and fat with slicked down black hair, freckles and little piggy eyes hiding behind glasses that had no lenses. It was from his awkward not-quite-right appearance alone that all three knew this must be the fazian father. “Greetings, dear fellow humans!” he said brightly and friendly. “Have you seen a small boy around here at all by any chance?”

“Are you Roger?” the Doctor asked.

“Oh gosh, yes I am!” Roger replied, a little confused.

“I met your wife, Geraldine. I'm the Doctor and ...”

“The Doctor?!” Roger suddenly repeated, his little eyes lighting up. “Oh, it's an honour!”

“You're welcome,” the Doctor replied, grinning at him. “We're trying to find George. Your wife is in here at the moment.” He gestured at the toilet door. “I locked it so no human could find her.”

“Gosh, yes, her morphic box  _ was  _ getting rather low on battery,” Roger mused. “I suppose George's might have powered down by now too. Gosh, I'm so terribly sorry for all this inconvenience, Mr Doctor!” 

“That's quite all right,” the Doctor assured him.

“Oh, but golly, we were meant to go back to Fazia last week, but they have darn well cancelled all the space flights!” Roger explained, swinging his arm to punctuate his darn.

The Doctor frowned. “Why?”

Before Roger could reply, there came the sound of music from above their heads accompanied with yet more cheering.

“We've gotta move,” Jack said quickly.

“Right,” the Doctor looked back at Roger. “How long until your morphic box wears off?”

“Oh, well, not long I suppose. Ten minutes, I'd say!”

“Okay,” the Doctor acknowledged with a nod. “There's a human gathering upstairs right now that are about to come downstairs so we have to find George before any of them do ...”

“Is George definitely in this house?” Rose asked suddenly. “I mean, is there any chance he went outside?”

“I don't think so!” Roger replied, tapping his chin. “He is rather shy.”

Multiple footsteps were coming from above, now. It was definitely over.

“Doctor,” Jack urged.

The Doctor nodded quickly. “Roger, can you and your wife get out of the house unseen and hide in the grounds?” He caught Roger's look. “We'll find George, and I'll take you all back to Fazia in my ship.”

Roger nodded eagerly. “Oh, Doctor, you're even nicer than the stories say!”

The Doctor beamed at him, before turning back to Jack. “Get to the wedding reception and be on the look out.” Jack run off without another word as the Doctor turned unlock the toilet door with the sonic, pushing it open to find Geraldine still in there holding Alex. She looked up on their entry, eyes wide.

“Roger!” she realised. “Have you found him?”

“Not quite, darling, but the Doctor's sorting everything! He's lovely, don't you agree?”

Alex started making attention-seeking sounds at the sight of his parents, smiling broadly and reaching out to be taken. Rose bolted forward and took him back into her arms, where he held on tightly.

“Hey, we said we wouldn't be long,” the Doctor told him, kissing his forehead. Alex just giggled and tried to grab his hair.

“We need to get out of this building, my dearest,” Roger told his still panicking wife. “The humans may see us and panic.”

“I'm not leaving without George!” she squealed.

“I will find your son then give you all a lift home,” the Doctor assured her. “But first priority is keeping you safe. Earth is still a level five planet and they're treating aliens with hostility ...”

“Earth isn't a level five planet!” Geraldine squeaked, looking about ready to burst into tears. 

The Doctor's frown reappeared. “... What?”

“Why, we saw it listed as level six,” Roger told him. “In the brochure!”

“... Brochure?” the Doctor repeated, his frown deepening even more.

“The Sol holiday brochure, of course!”

“... Holiday brochure?!” the Doctor repeated again disbelievingly.

“Where's my George?!” Geraldine interrupted in a shriek of rage, drawing them all back to the issue in hand.

The Doctor jolted back and put this new matter out of his head. “Get out, we will find your son, I promise,” he said, and ushered Rose out of the door to go to the wedding reception before they could be stopped.


	2. Slapathon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt for George continues.

People were milling around the wedding reception, chatting to each other with drinks in their hands. Martha was over in the corner with Mickey being photographed by Tish, and Jack was casually sauntering around behind them ducking randomly to look under tables.

“I'll give Alex to Mum then look,” Rose muttered in an undertone to the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded distractedly, his eyes catching something against the far wall. “I'm gonna go ... search the nibbles area for him.”

Rose sighed and rolled her eyes, moving off. The Doctor moved in the opposite direction; straight towards to plates of food. He grabbed a ham roll as he casually leant forward, checking the back for any sign of a Fazian boy. But there was nothing. 

He turned back, leant back against the table and took a bite ...

Then he saw the fazian, curled up under the very chair Francine Jones was sitting on.

His eyes widened, and he quickly crammed down the last of the ham roll before looking back up to try and find Rose or Jack. His eyes connected with Jack, and the Doctor quickly indicated with a nod of his head towards Francine. Jack nodded and made to move forward, but he was quickly stopped by an already drunk Jackie slipping up and falling onto him giggling. Thankfully she didn't have Alex in her arms.

With Jack temporarily incapacitated by a drunk Jackie Tyler, the Doctor tried to find Rose. But he couldn't see her. Martha and Mickey were still busy with the photos and Rhys, Gwen and Ianto were nowhere to be seen. 

Then he spotted Leah standing by the chocolate fountain, covertly sticking in her finger in whilst looking around to make sure she wasn't noticed.

“Leah!” the Doctor called, and she abruptly withdrew her finger and consequently got chocolate down the front of her dress. Then she realised it was him, and she bounded forwards.

“Daddy!” she said, reaching him and instantly turning her attention to the chocolate dribbled down her dress and running her finger up to put it in her mouth, leaving a chocolate brown smear down her front. “Did you see me?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor said with a happy grin, dropping to his knees and kissing her forehead. “You were brilliant!”

She beamed. “Was I the best bridesmaid?”

“Oh, easily,” the Doctor assured her.

“Was I the most pretty?”

“Hands down.”

“Good,” she replied, still beaming. “Where did you go?”

“There's a young alien boy that's got lost in this house,” he explained lowly. “I've just found him ... but he's under Martha's mother's chair.”

“D'you want me to distract her?” Leah wondered.

The Doctor pulled a face and nodded. “Err, if you could.”

“Okay,” Leah replied shortly, skipping off towards Francine as the Doctor got up and sidestepped casually into position, grabbing another ham roll as he did so to watch Leah.

“Hello!” Leah began happily to Francine, hands clasped behind her back.

Francine looked down, surprised. “Hello. Leah, isn't it?”

“Yep!” Leah confirmed, sticking her hand out to shake. 

Francine took it. “How old are you, Leah?”

“Nearly four!” Leah replied, still beaming widely. “My baby brother's not even a year old, yet! Mummy and Daddy let me play with him yesterday but he pooped and it was gross.”

“I see ...”

“I really liked the wedding,” Leah continued. “Though Uncle Jack said it was about time, cos they've been shagging each other for ages. What's shagging?”

The Doctor casually moved forwards and knelt down slowly as if to tie his shoelace. He got a good look under the chair, and found the fazian staring at him, scared.

“It's okay,” the Doctor whispered gently. “Your Mum and Dad sent me ... Come here, it's okay George ...”

The Doctor extended his hand slowly towards the boy alien. George whimpered and moved back ... and disappeared under Francine's dress.

Francine squealed instantly and jumped onto her feet, sending most of the glasses on the table flying. Instantly the other people around the table were looking at Francine, who was looking down at the Doctor on all fours on the floor with his hand outstretched. His head slowly rose up to meet Francine's disapproving gaze.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, quickly jumping to his feet and pretending to shove something in his pocket. “Dropped a penny!” he chimed happily.

She just sighed a heavy sigh, rolling her eyes. She started towards the food table, and from the telltale bump the Doctor quickly realised George was still hiding under her dress.

“Gave Alex to Gwen. You see the fazian?” Rose's voice asked quietly from behind him. He nodded and turned to her, aware of the other people still watching him so he drew her into a tight embrace, making as if to kiss her but instead whispered in her ear:

“He's under Francine's dress.”

“Oh God,” Rose muttered, pulling away to covertly look over his shoulder to see Francine by the food gathering things onto a paper plate. Rose could see the little hump that had to be George moving underneath. “Okay, I'll keep her at the table, you get under it and try and coax George out,” she said, and before he could protest she was already beside Francine engaging her in conversation.

He sighed, and moved forward to the other end of the table. He hovered inconspicuously for a moment, glancing around before making to duck under the table ...

Francine suddenly looked around, and he froze, half under the table. Thankfully Leah was on hand and quickly shrieked, “MUMMY!” and ran to Rose, distracting Francine again, and the Doctor slipped under the table, the cloth covering him.

He crawled on all fours to where Francine was, putting a finger under the drape and lifting it slightly to check. Yes, there was Francine's black dress. He readjusted himself, then hooked a finger under the bottom of her dress, and slowly lifted.

There was George, staring back at him.

“Come on, George, it's okay,” the Doctor whispered, almost pleadingly as he reached out hand slowly – almost touching him. “Come on ...”

George suddenly bolted back away from him. The Doctor dived from on instinct to grab him but missed, and in the process Francine stumbled backwards and landed on her bum with the Doctor's head halfway up her dress. She screamed and backed away instantly, climbing to her feet looking absolutely violated.

“What  _ do  _ you think you're doing?!” Francine shrieked. Everyone was looking at them now. The Doctor got to his feet, wondering how he could possibly get out of this one.

“Dropped a penny ...?” he tried.

Francine slapped him right across the face. He grimaced and quickly held up his hands in protest. 

“How could you, you bastard!” Rose suddenly yelled, stepping up in front of him. “We're married! We have two children!” 

_ Slap! _

“You're  _ married?!” _ came a furious yell from across the room and Jack appeared, striding forward towards the Doctor, relishing the moment. “You told me I was the only one!” 

_ Slap! _

Everyone else seemed to be catching on that it was their one chance to slap the Doctor now as Ianto stepped up. “You stole my boyfriend!” 

_ Slap! _

“You said you weren't looking for commitment!” Gwen yelled next. 

_ Slap! _

“You slept with me wife!?” Rhys boomed. 

_ Slap! _

“You've ruined my wedding!” Martha was next. 

_ Slap! _

“You ate  _ all _ the ham rolls!” Mickey yelled. 

_ Slap! _

“You've cheated on my daughter  _ twice?!”  _ Jackie drunkenly squealed. 

_ Slap! _

“You've upset my Mum!” Rose yelled again. 

_ Slap! _

Then it was over, and the Doctor was left standing there with a bright red cheek, speechless.

“I think we need to talk!” Rose suddenly broke the silence, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the door into the corridor, pushing him against the wall. There was a momentary silence, and then she started giggling uncontrollably.

“I'm really sorry!” she gasped through laughing, not sounding very sorry at all.

“That really hurts!” he whined. “I think my jaw is broken ...”

“I'm sorry! I had to react, I'm your wife. Well, sorta.”

“Were the others really necessary?” the Doctor wondered, hand clasped to his wounded cheek.

“I didn't tell them to,” Rose replied with a laugh, leaning forward and kissing his cheek lightly.

Suddenly the door to the reception party opened, and Francine and Martha appeared. 

Rose instantly pulled away from the Doctor, her face turning to fury. “You bastard!” she yelled, and slapped him again.

“It's okay, I know,” Francine said before the Doctor could get battered even more. 

“I explained,” Martha said. “Jack told me.”

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against the wall, clasping his hand to his cheek again. He wondered if he'd get a bruise.

“Did you see where George went?” Rose asked them anxiously, but she didn't need to as suddenly Leah appeared from behind Martha and Francine, holding George in her arms.

“George says he's really sorry,” she announced, setting the Fazian down on the floor. The small alien creature looked up at the Doctor apologetically.

“Sor-wee,” George squeaked in a high-pitched voice. “I scurred!”

“That's okay,” Rose assured him, picking him up. “We'll take you right back to your parents and back to Fazia now.”

“Fank-oo,” George replied.

* * *

 

They returned to the TARDIS, which was stashed in a shed in the grounds. Five minutes later everyone was in and he began to program for Fazia.

“Gosh, I really must thank you, Doctor!” Roger said. “And everyone else who helped, of course!”

“Well, I'm just glad we found him before anyone else,” the Doctor replied, smiling. “Were you on holiday to Earth?”

Roger nodded. “It was a jolly lovely affordable package deal. And Earth seemed so exotic and beautiful, didn't it, darling?” he directed to Geraldine, who nodded.

“In the holiday brochure?” the Doctor asked.

Roger nodded, and then quickly snapped a finger into the air before he began rummaging through his bag. “Now where did . I... Ah!” He brought out a metal plate and handed it to the Doctor.

The Doctor thanked him and tapped the metal plate as Rose moved to stand beside him. Instantly a little holographic male alien popped up, dressed in a sharp white suit and hat.

“ _ Hi therre!”  _ the little hologram said in what bizarrely seemed to resemble an American accent. “ _ Thank you for choosing Sammo's Spenderrr-iffic Sol galaxy holiday brochurrrre! Valid regions 1-500 only. Please select your destinatioooon!” _

“Earth,” the Doctor said.

“ _ I'm sorry, did you say, Mars?” _

“No! Earth.”

“ _ You have selected Neptunnne!” _

“No! Earth!”

“ _ Neptune is ...”  _ the hologram began.

“No! Back, back!”

“ _ You are now at the menu! Please select your destinatioooon!” _

“Eaaarth-ah!” the Doctor pronounced as best he could.

“ _ I'm sorry, did you say, Earth?” _

“Yes.”

“ _ You have selected Earth!”  _ Instantly the holographic man disappeared and was replaced with a montage of clips of Earth scenery. “ _ This is Earrrth! Designated Sol 3, this tiny planet is our newest destination on offer! Recently upgraded to a level six planet, Earth is one of the two Sol planets containing life, and they surrre know how to live! Whether you fancy a holiday for relaxation, fun, adventure, boredom or culture, this planet has it all! Why not go to the USA and experience culture at first hand, where improbably good-looking adolescents constantly party until the sun goes down and almost everyone is obese! Or if you fancy some adventure, why not visit Egypt, with pyramids filled with mummies, flesh-eating beetles and treasure... but remember to watch out for the death traps – it's true! If you want some relaxation, why not book to go to England! The constant bad weather and miserable uncommunicative inhabitants are sure not to disturb you! But if on the other hand, you would like to guarantee yourself a boring holiday, why not try Canada! Visit Earth now, from as little as 400 credits per night with Sammo's!”  _ The little hologram reappeared. “ _ Would you like to book a holiday for Earth?” _

The Doctor didn't answer, instead choosing to shut down the hologram. “ _ Have a great day!”  _ the little man said, then blipped into nothingness.

“... Was that a terrible advert to book a holiday to Earth?” Rose wondered.

“Yup,” the Doctor replied, popping his P, before quickly turning his attentions to Roger, Geraldine and George. “Do you mind if I keep this?” he asked, holding up the disc.

“Not at all,” Roger assured him, smiling away.

“Thanks,” the Doctor replied, shoving it in his inside jacket pocket and turning to the console, flicking a few more switches. With a jolt and a churn the TARDIS landed.

“Here you go, Fazia right outside,” the Time Lord announced.

“Oh, thank you!” Roger said in delight. “Gosh, if only there was something I could do for you!”

“Just promise you won't go back to Earth for a while,” the Doctor said as they moved to the door. “And tell your friends. It's not safe there at the moment.”

“Of course, Doctor!” Roger replied, shaking his hand. “Thank you!”

Then they were gone. The Doctor just stared after them for a moment, absorbed in thought.

Rose looked at him. “Oh god.”

The Doctor snapped his head up to look at her. “What?”

“You've got your 'another suitcase full of bad' expression on.”

“Have I? Oh, sorry,” he said, smiling meekly. 

“What is it? Earth should be level five, right? Is level six bad?”

“Maybe. Dunno, yet.”

She nodded understandingly. “Back to the party, then?”

He nodded. “Yeah,” he said, then programmed for the wedding reception. 


	3. Meanwhile, In Scootlund

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose have an ‘alone night’, but their time together is interrupted by a distress signal.

“Thanks for doing this, Jack,” the Doctor said a few hours later in the Hub, giving Alex one last affectionate kiss before handing him to the Torchwood boss.

“Oh, no problem,” Jack replied, taking the boy and holding him tight. Instantly Alex's eyes filled up with tears.

“Alex,” the Doctor said quickly before he burst into tears. “It's just one night! And Uncle Jack's nice, you like Uncle Jack!”

“Why are you leaving us!?” Leah's voice suddenly came from the TARDIS door where she was being ushered out by Rose.

Rose began in a strong reply. “Because Mummy and Daddy need some time alone to ...” She suddenly stopped and frowned slightly. “... Do ... things,” she completed, frowning.

“Shagging?” Leah wondered.

All three adult blinked simultaneously, frozen on the spot.

“... Is that like a game? Like Monopoly?” Leah wondered.

“Yes!” the Doctor said quickly. “But not like Monopoly. More like ... Kerplunk. Now come on, we've got to go.”

“Okay,” Leah said, reaching up to him for a hug and a kiss. “Bye bye.”

“Have fun, we'll be back in the morning,” Rose said, kissing both Alex and Leah good night.

* * *

 

The Doctor and Rose entered the TARDIS, the Doctor throwing his coat over a support strut and bounding up to the console to programme the TARDIS hover in the vortex. With a thump and churn, the column began to pump.

Rose stepped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him on the back of the neck. “Wanna play Kerplunk?” she growled, grinning.

He turned around and grinned in return, embracing her. But before things could get any further the TARDIS suddenly began to chime an alert and they jumped apart in surprise, heads snapping to the monitor.

“Distress call,” the Doctor realised, diving to the monitor. “Oh, that's odd. It's coming from Earth.”

Rose frowned, diving to look. The Gallifreyan language on the monitor meant nothing to her but the Doctor's expression did.

“There's the 'that shouldn’t be happenin’' expression,” she mumured.

He looked at her. “Have you named all my expressions?”

“Yep,” she replied, grinning with her tongue between her teeth. “This one's your 'dribbled on your shirt' expression.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and smiled, before turning his attention back to the monitor. “We'd better follow it. I'm worried.”

She nodded. “Go for it.”

* * *

 

In the dark evening in a forest in the Scottish highlands, the TARDIS landed. Out stepped the Doctor and Rose, the both of them looking around with wary interest.

“Where are we?” Rose asked.

“We ur deep in Scootlund,” the Doctor replied in the most deepest broadest Scottish accent he could muster, before resuming his normal accent. “The source of the distress call should be around here somewhere.”

They began to walk. Rose took his hand as they began to walk, and suddenly shrieked as a bird flew out of a bush beside her head and up into the air.

“What's wrong with you?” the Doctor asked, laughing.

“Nothin',” she squeaked, and clung onto him a little tighter. The Doctor just rolled his eyes and continued onwards.

Then through the trees, they saw what they quickly deemed to be the source of the distress signal – a space shuttle lying broken and scattered in the mud of the forest floor.

“Crash,” the Doctor mused, and in a flash he'd burst off in a sprint through the trees towards the wreckage. Rose followed, trying to avoid the puddles of mud on the way as the Doctor reached the wreckage, dropping to his knees beside a body being crushed by part of the destroyed ship. He heaved off the debris, leaning over the alien. He could instantly tell it was a grey-skinned pastenalean, a woman.

“Hello?” he asked, checking for life-signs. “Can you hear me?”

“Can I help?” Rose asked anxiously as she reached him.

“Look for any other bodies,” the Doctor replied quickly and she nodded, skipping over the debris to look. The Doctor turned his attention back to the alien he was with, just in time to see the pastenalean open her eyes.

“Hello,” he said gently, smiling. “I'm the Doctor, what's your name?”

“Friz,” she replied weakly, staring up at him, obviously disorientated.

“Can you remember what happened, Friz?” he asked, drawing a medical kit out from his pocket. He had to stop the bleeding, keep her talking.

“We ... We ... We were ... coming to do a job on Earth, then suddenly were we ... we were being shot at, there were loads of explosions ... We couldn't do anything.”

“Job?” the Doctor echoed.

“A ... A trouse infestation ...”

“Oh, you're pest control?” the Doctor realised, already starting to feel a burning anger within him. A bunch of humans had obviously shot down Friz's ship ... She was only doing her job, pest control for the Universe, she didn't exactly have a battle ship armed with high-tech weapons or even _any_ defence systems.

“Yes,” Friz croaked weakly. “Please ... my friend ...”

“Don't worry,” the Doctor said softly. “We’re looking, she'll find your friend. How many of you were on the ship?”

“Just ... Just me and Rix,” she replied quietly. “She's pregnant, please find her.”

“Doctor!” came a sudden call from Rose from the other side of the wreckage.

The Doctor smiled at Friz. “There we go, we've found her,” he said, checking his first aid was enough for the moment before whipping off his coat and covering Friz over to try and keep her warm. “Now don't go anywhere, I'll check your friend, take you both back to our ship, fix you up and take you home. Sound good?”

She offered a weak smile. “Thank you.”

“You're very welcome,” the Doctor replied, before moving over the Rose, finding Rix lying there half in and half out of the ship, clearly in a very bad way.

“Rose, go and talk to Friz, try and keep her conscious, get her to try and sit up,” he said, and she nodded, moving back the way he'd come.

“Rix? Rix, can you hear me?” he asked the alien gently, but she wasn't about to come around. At least she was alive. He worked his first aid as best he could but he'd have to get her back to the TARDIS very quickly for treatment. At least there were no spinal injuries.

He picked her up in both arms, carrying her back over to Rose and Friz, just in time to hear a crowd of footsteps and helicopters coming towards them.

“Oh no,” the Doctor muttered.

“What is it?” Rose asked, looking through the trees to find several streams of torchlight coming towards them.

“Whoever shot them down is coming to collect their prize,” the Doctor grated, trying to think. “Okay, Friz, can you get up?”

“I think so,” Friz replied with a frown, accepting Rose's help to get to her feet.

“Rose,” the Doctor began, giving her Rix. “Get Friz and Rix both back to the TARDIS, I'll try and hold them up.”

“Okay,” Rose said quickly, starting off towards the direction of the TARDIS with Friz in tow. They weren't even out of sight when the Doctor suddenly found himself in a sandwich of army men striding towards him.

“Bludy heel!” he suddenly yelled, pointing at the spaceship and affecting his deepest, broadest Scottish highland accent. “Angie, ye hae got tae see thes! It's aliens, Ah swear, coz it's their bludy space shep!”

“Sir, please move from the area,” one of the soldiers said, and the Doctor turned and jumped as if seeing them for the first time.

“Noo I've got th' bludy army oan me! Bludy heel!” he exclaimed.

“Sir, you are trespassing on government property. Please leave.”

“Whit ur ye talkin' abit, thes is mah lain. Ye gie aff!”

“What is he even saying?” one of the soldiers wondered to another.

“Don't know ... We don't have time for this. Tranquillise him.”

“Whit?!” the Doctor yelled, and the next thing he felt was a sharp pain in his arm and he reached up to pull out a tranquilliser dart.

He looked at them, eyebrows towards his hairline. “It'll tak' mair than 'at tae doon a Scootsman, ye English bahstards! Come an' hae some!!! Ah can tak' ye aw oan!!!”

“Another,” was the next instruction, and the Doctor felt another dart, this time in his neck.

“Aye, 'at'll dae it,” he muttered, and flopped unconscious to the ground.

* * *

 

Rose had taken Friz and Rix straight to the infirmary, though she wasn't sure what to do next. Rix woke up around five minutes later, and Friz was on hand to explain what happened, though Rix didn't really seem to know who she was. Another ten minutes passed. Rose was getting a little anxious.

“I'm gonna go find the Doctor,” she suddenly announced to Friz and Rix. “He should be back by now.”

They nodded, and she ran off back through the TARDIS to the door. She peeked out, but the people who had come had seemed to have left. She couldn't even see the crashed spaceship.

She quickly darted out of the TARDIS and ran to the clearing. That was unbelievable, the entire crashed ship had gone, and the Doctor was lying face down in a pile of leaves on the ground.

“Doctor!” she yelped, moving forward to push him onto his back. “Doctor, wake up...”

She instantly found a tranquilliser dart in his neck. She pulled it out and slapped his face lightly.

“Doctor, Doctor, wake up ...”

“Nae havers nou!” the Doctor suddenly yelled and jerked awake, sitting up and almost headbutting her.

“Doctor!” Rose squealed in alarm.

“Oh, sorry,” the Doctor muttered, blinking a few times, trying to remember what had happened. “Oh yes, got tranquillised.”

“Friz and Rix need you,” Rose said anxiously, helping him up. He was a little unsteady. “You okay?”

He nodded. “Sorry, after effects, I'll be fine in a few minutes. C'mon.”

* * *

 

Frix and Rix spent all night in the infirmary. The Doctor had treated them as best he could, he'd managed to save Rix's baby, but it was up to Pastena's medics now. The next morning he took them both back to their planet, straight to a hospital. Friz thanked them both heartily, vowing she would look after Rix.

The Doctor and Rose got back to TARDIS, and the Doctor programmed for Torchwood.

“Sorry,” he said, offering Rose an apologetic smile. “Looks like our alone night got a bit trampled on.”

“Don't worry,” Rose replied, smiling. “As long as Friz and Rix are okay. God, I'd hate to think what would've happened if we didn't get there first.”

“I know,” the Doctor murmured, running a hand through his hair. “I think I need to talk to Jack. This is probably going to keep happening.”

“How come?”

“Well, there have always been millions of aliens living on Earth. Legally they were allowed to as long as they used morphic illusions to look like humans. But now Earth has been upgraded to a level six planet because of the contact the Shadow Proclamation had last year when they were looking for me. So that means now aliens don't legally have to use morphic illusions on Earth, and they can call other planets, for stuff like pest control, takeaways, things like that. The problem is that the Earth isn't ready to be a level six planet yet. They've been forced into this and as a results the humans are scared and are treating all aliens as threats. There is no level between five and six that allows for this. So the aliens living on Earth can call for galactic services and all the ones that answer the calls are going to get shot down like Friz and Rix. Not to mention Roger, Geraldine and George, with their holiday brochure.”

“Who does the level thing?” Rose asked. “If we can get them to change it back to level five this won't happen again.”

“Umm ...The Shadow Proclamation,” the Doctor muttered, scratching behind his ear.

“No way we're goin' back there,” Rose said shortly.

“Nope,” the Doctor confirmed.

“So what do we do?”

“I need to talk to Jack,” the Doctor said, thinking. “Sort something out with him to try and get to the crashed ships before the authorities do.”

Rose nodded. “Let's go.”

* * *

 

Jack Harkness nodded knowingly as the Doctor finished his summary of the situation.

“I was afraid of this,” he admitted, tapping at his computer. “The scare about aliens is getting bigger. Have you seen that Alex Grimshaw guy on TV?”

“Alex Grimshaw?” the Doctor muttered, frowning slightly. “I've heard that name before ...”

“What's he doin'?” Rose enquired. Jack turned his laptop to them, hitting the space bar to play.

“ _They're everywhere, all around us. They have been for years. All these alien encounters the Government has tried to cover up; Roswell, that fizzy drink, a spaceship flying into Big Ben ... But now, we have proof. The aliens spoke to us, and the alien rhinos landed. They took control of our planet and treated us as lesser lives. Although they've left us this time ... What will they do next to us? What are they planning for our planet? We are under threat, and we must take action, be prepared and armed for the inevitable invasion ...”_

“He's the leader of a newly formed anti-alien political group,” Jack explained as the crowd cheered.

“ _We must defend ourselves, protect our women and children. We must start establishing planetary defence. I call for governments around the world to release their information on alien activity. We are no longer ignorant, and we must adapt to defend our race from these alien threats. The last incident proved it, these aliens want nothing more than to use us, humiliate us. Today we're harbouring a fugitive, what happens tomorrow? These aliens want our race to use, our planet, its resources._ _I can't tell you what they have planned, nobody knows, but our planet is rich in natural resources – and we, the human race, are useful in experiments, implantations and vivisections. These aliens will most certainly murder us all. We must stop them, and we must stop them now. Protect your families, protect your towns, protect the human race and everything that lives on our planet from the aliens. .. At any cost. Vote for us, and we will kept you safe.”_

It finished, and went back to the studio. Jack switched it off again and looked at the Doctor, who was running his hand through his hair, clearly thinking.

“I feel useless,” he muttered. “If we can't go back to the Shadow Proclamation ... The only thing we can do is treat the symptoms.”

“How about a search and rescue?” Jack suggested. “We pick up the distress calls and you go and fetch them in the TARDIS then take them home.”

“I can list you as a refuge centre on the Sol tourist database,” the Doctor suggested whilst nodding. “Then they can also directly come here as well.”

Jack nodded. “Happy to. Though you do know you'll be stuck here for a while if you did that?”

“It's fine,” the Doctor fobbed off. “I'm worried. Plus Alex is sick and needs to rest for a while.”

“Alex is sick?” Rose repeated, suddenly alert.

The Doctor nodded. “I think he's got a bit of a chest infection again, I didn't want to say it in front of your Mum because you know how she reacts, but it's perfectly treatable.”

“Okay, good,” Rose said.

“Let's do this,” Jack said, and they all got up to instigate the plan.


	4. A Day At The Zoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor, Rose and Jack visit the Universal Zoo with Leah for her fourth birthday, but the events at the Shadow Proclamation are having a lasting effect on the girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole 'issue' with the Proclamation took place during 'The Debt', the previous in this series :D

Weeks passed in the Hub. 

Alex just seemed to be getting sicker and sicker, and the Doctor had moved him to the infirmary for a long term stay as a precaution. Martha and Mickey were back from their honeymoon and Martha had checked Alex over herself but there was nothing new she could add to the treatment. Pretty soon Jackie had found out about her grandson and drowned him in kisses and get well presents, which Leah had been incredibly annoyed about.

The search and rescue operation was proving to be a success, at least five aliens a day were turning up in the Hub, usually terrified and terribly thankful to the Doctor for his taxi service. As well as listing the Hub as a refuge centre the Doctor had also fixed a homing beacon to it to guide any aliens to them. But despite all this the Doctor knew that although they were doing all they could to help the stranded aliens, this was not a long term solution. Pretty soon the number of aliens would become too much. When that day came he would have to think of a new plan, but without going directly to the Shadow Proclamation he could only treat the symptoms and not the cause. Less of a Doctor, and more of a hot lemon drink.

Not long after that it was the day of Leah's fourth birthday. Martha assured the Doctor and Rose she would look after Alex back in Torchwood so they could go out for the day. After twenty minutes of deciding where she wanted to go, Leah had finally chosen the Universal Zoo.

* * *

 

“What's in this one?” Leah wondered, her nose pressed up against the glass of a tank.

The Doctor looked at the information plate. “Umm ... The Invisible Topiazaries.”

“I can't see anything,” Jack muttered, his nose also up against the glass.

“Of course not, they're invisible,” the Doctor replied with a roll of his eyes.

“What's the point of that?” Jack wondered seriously, knocking on the glass. Suddenly the glass thunked and both Jack and Leah jumped back in surprise, simultaneously squealing.

The Doctor just laughed, looking around for the last member of their party. “Where's Rose? I want my ice cream.”

“Here!” came a voice from behind him and he turned to find her holding and assortment of ice creams in a tray. He picked out the mint chocolate and gave it to Leah, who licked it eagerly before he took his own jam flavoured one and Jack retrieved his curry ice cream.

Rose took her butterscotch, and looked at Jack with disgust as he licked his curry one eagerly. “That's so disgustin'.”

“Wanna try?” Jack asked her, offering his ice cream.

“No, thanks!” she said, laughing and moving to the next enclosure. She reached the fence and peeked in, seeing a small red monkey. Then to her complete surprise, it exploded in flames.

“Combustible monkeys,” the Doctor supplied from behind her. “Indigenous to the Nebulax cluster. They explode on sight of strangers.”

“It's dead?” she gaped.

He laughed. “No, when you look away they reform from the ash. Quite ingenious, really. Perfect defence mechanism.”

She looked back, and saw the monkey again. It once more exploded. Then three more appeared from the enclosure's bushes, and they all simultaneously exploded as well.

“That's so weird,” she muttered under her breath.

“Daddy, what's a boggart?” Leah suddenly asked from behind them and they turned to see her standing staring at the sign of a booth saying,  **'CONFRONT A FEMALE BOGGART!'** with one next to it saying  **'CONFRONT A MALE BOGGART!'** with a long list of side effects next to it, including, Rose noticed, one advising currently pollinating, replicating and pregnant species not to enter.

“Boggarts!” Rose scoffed, laughing. “Aren't they from Harry Potter?”

“Well JK got her ideas from somewhere,” the Doctor reasoned with a grin. “It's another defence mechanism, the females show you what you love the most so you won't hurt it, and the males show you your greatest fear so you'll run away.”

“I wanna try!” Leah said, running off to the booth before the Doctor could protest. She stepped into the female viewing booth through the cloth, and stared through the glass. Within moments the female boggart lingering there had assumed the form of a giant playful teddy bear, and Leah squealed in delight, licking her ice cream. 

The giant teddy bear waved at her, and she waved back, before the female boggart retreated and Leah stepped back outside.

“What did you see?” Jack asked eagerly.

“A big teddy bear!” Leah enthused, beaming.

“Oh, me next!” Jack said quickly and dived into the booth. The other three waited patiently until they heard a laugh of joy and he came back out, grinning from ear to ear.

“It was Ianto holding a ...” He trailed off, looking at Leah. “Well … Something.”

Rose handed the Doctor her ice cream, running in next. She reappeared with another broad smile. 

“That was so weird, it showed me you,” she said, looking at the Doctor.

He grinned and smoothed down an eyebrow. “Well you know, I'm just that good.”

“... Holdin' a lot of chocolate,” she completed, grinning with her tongue between her teeth.

The Doctor rolled his eyes with a laugh, then started to move away.

“Wait, aren't you having a go?” Jack asked him.

He shook his head. “No, thanks. I don't like things inside my brain.”

“Can I try the other one, please Daddy?” Leah asked eagerly, tugging on his sleeve. “The male?”

He frowned slightly. “It's going to scare you, it'll be what you most fear, Leah.”

“I'm not scared,” she said boldly, still licking her ice cream.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

She nodded.

He was still frowning, knowing it wasn't a good idea, but had to resign. She had him wrapped around her little finger and didn't he know it. “Well okay, but remember, whatever it is it's not real and it's not going to hurt you.”

“I  _ know!” _ Leah replied as if he was the dumbest person in the world, before running into the second booth.

* * *

 

She stepped inside, and instantly the room temperature seemed to drop, giving her goosebumps. Somewhat apprehensively, she stepped up to the glass ... and the male boggart appeared.

She watched, absolutely fascinated as she wondered what she was going to see. For a moment it just stared at her, and then, to her absolute horror, it began to bubble and boil with blood red veins bursting out of its skin, its whole body twisting and merging before her eyes before it suddenly turned completely black and melted where it stood, disappearing from sight behind the wall.

A humanoid hand suddenly rose up and slammed onto the glass, covered in blood. Leah jumped and shrieked but she stayed in place, determined to be brave. The hand tried to grip the glass but it failed and trailed down, leaving a path of blood behind it. Then the top of a head appeared, matted brown hair, thin, pale face ...

It was her daddy, covered in bruises and scars with an expression of indescribable pain on his face. He finally made it upright to reveal torn and blooded clothes, tears falling down his cheeks, staring at her through the glass with his deep brown eyes wide and terrified ...

“ _ Leah ...”  _ he mouthed, soundless behind the glass. “ _ Help me ...” _

She couldn't move, couldn't make a sound. The ice cream she was holding slipped silently out of her hand and hit the floor with a plop. 

“ _ Leah!”  _ he yelled soundlessly, hitting the glass barrier three times with his fist. It shuddered with the impacts. “ _ Please! Please help me!” _

Then suddenly there was something coming up behind her daddy, something big and black ... it raised something in the air which gleamed in the light, as she realised it was a knife. Heading straight for her daddy's back.

“DADDY!” she shrieked, pointing desperately to the thing with the knife behind him. “DADDY!”

It was too late. The knife plunged into his back and he fell down out of sight, dead ...

“Leah!” came a cried from behind her, but it seemed like miles away. The black figure was advancing towards the glass, slowly becoming more and more clear ...

She felt someone shaking her but she was completely transfixed. She watched with wide, horrified eyes, screaming her lungs out but not even aware she was doing it as the black figure revealed itself ...

It was the head woman from the Shadow Proclamation.

There she was, standing there staring at Leah, her red eyes shining brightly through the glass. Slowly the edges of her mouth began to curve upwards into a sickening smile and she raised her hand ... pointing straight at Leah.

She was suddenly taken hold of and she screamed, kicking and punching desperately to try and get free of whatever was holding her. It seemed not to care about that, carrying her away from the woman and out into bright, warm light.

“Leah! Leah!” someone was yelling at her, and slowly the world came back into focus to reveal her parents and Uncle Jack sitting in front of her, all of them looking terrified. “Leah, Leah, talk to me!”

She blinked at looked up at her daddy for a moment ... and then burst into tears.

“Leah,” he daddy said gently, kissing her and hugging her. “Are you okay?”

She choked an unconvincing, “yes” through her sobs. 

He kissed her again, very worried. “What did you see?”

She shook her head quickly, still crying.

“It's okay, you can tell me,” her daddy assured her.

She looked up at him again and sniffed, wiping her eyes. Then she leant forward whispered what she'd seen into his ear. He instantly scooped her up into a massive hug, holding her tightly.

“It's fine, it wasn't real,” her daddy told her. “None of that was real. Now come on, it's your birthday, you're meant to be happy! We'll get you another ice cream later if you like. What do you want for lunch?”

She sniffed again. “Chicken, please,” she said quietly.

He nodded, getting to his feet and holding her close. “Good idea. Give me a smile, come on.”

Her lips wobbled before she looked up at him and smiled.

“There we go,” he said happily, kissing her once more. “Now, let's get chicken.”

He turned and walked away from the boggart enclosure, Leah watching over his shoulder at the tent flap. She felt very weird inside.

* * *

 

“Aww, a little gift shop!” the Doctor enthused, beaming from ear to ear as they finished their visit and reached the zoo gift shop. He felt an insistent tugging on his trouser leg and he looked down to find Leah standing there with innocent eyes, silently holding a cuddly toy tiger to him.

“Whatever you want,” the Doctor assured her, and she quickly grabbed his hand and yanked him further into the shop, throwing things in his arms along the way.

Jack laughed at the sight as Rose drew out her phone, calling Martha. He looked at her.

“Checking Alex,” she said in explanation, phone at her ear.

Jack watched her contemplatively for a moment, before Rose started talking down the phone.

“Hey, Martha, it's Rose ... Yeah, it's been great, thanks ... Yeah, I was just calling to check on Alex ... Oh? ... So is that …? ... Okay, then ... Yeah, I'll let him know ... We'll be heading back soon ... Okay thanks, bye.”

“How is he?” Jack asked.

“Pneumonia,” Rose replied, biting her lip.

“Poor kid,” Jack said seriously, and on impulse hugged her in comfort. “He'll be okay.”

“I know,” Rose replied quietly. “But I just hate seeing him like this, y’know?”

Jack just nodded. Suddenly the Doctor and Leah reappeared through the crowd, the latter beaming happily with the former's head lost in amongst the tens of toys and sweets in his arms as he struggled not to fall over. However, he couldn't see where he was going, so he ended up walking into a wall and falling backwards, toys and sweets everywhere.

 


	5. Train From Birmingham

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very important person visits Torchwood, seeking passage to another world.

“Jack!” came the Doctor's yell from below Jack's office that evening.

Jack poked his head out the door to look below. “What?”

“Can I raid your drugs cabinet?”

“Sure! Check storage!” Jack replied, then ducked his head in again, going back to his desk to resume doing his paperwork. Five minutes of silence passed, and then suddenly he heard the Hub door open. On instinct he looked through the window, and saw what seemed to be a woman in her mid-50's standing there looking around nervously. He got up and moved out his office, waving at the woman in greeting.

“Hello, can I help you?” he asked, skipping down the stairs to her.

“Hello, umm ... Is this the Sol 3 refuge centre?” the woman asked timidly.

“Yes it is, welcome, where do you wanna go?”

The woman looked a little embarrassed. “This probably sounds silly ... But I'm not quite sure.”

Jack just smiled gently. “Well our driver can take you anywhere you like. Come and take a seat.”

The woman nodded and followed him to the seating area, sitting down nervously.

“Can I get you anything? Food? Drink?”

“No, thank you,” she replied, smiling gently.

Jack nodded, taking a seat opposite her. “Sorry, he might be a bit. What's your name?”

“My name is Penelope,” she replied.

“I'm Jack,” he said, offering a charismatic smile. Which slowly turned flirtatious. “Penelope's a pretty name. Penny for short?”

She laughed quietly. “If you like.”

He beamed, stepping up his game. “Where have you come from? Why're you on Earth?”

Penny gave a weak smile. “It's silly, really ... I'm looking for my son. I had heard he was on Earth somewhere, I've been all around this tiny world hoping to see him ... But I can't seem to find him anywhere. I came to the conclusion that perhaps I may be looking on the wrong world.”

“Who is your son?” Jack wondered.

“Oh, my son,” she breathed, smiling at an age old memory. “He's so beautiful, so caring, so loving ... I have been out of his life for so very long and I do not wish that to continue. I can only hope that when I find him he can accept me once more.”

There came the sound of footsteps clunking on metal from the storage area, and Jack looked up to see the Doctor headed towards the TARDIS.

“Hey, Doc, got another passenger,” Jack said the the Time Lord as he passed through.

“Hold on, I'll just get these medicines to Alex,” the Doctor replied, carefully carrying a tray of glass bottles and phials across towards towards the TARDIS. As he passed them he glanced up at Jack and Penny, then carried on walking. 

Then he suddenly stopped dead, and looked again.

Then with a loud crash, the tray he had been holding slipped out of his fingers and hit the floor.

“Doc?” Jack asked, frowning at the quite obviously stunned Time Lord, who was staring transfixed at Penny with wide, shocked eyes. He didn't seem to realise he'd dropped the tray.

“Oh my!” Penny exclaimed, hand over her mouth. “Oh! Theta, is that you? Oh, my son!” she burst out in delight and ran to him, engulfing him in a huge loving hug while the Doctor just stood there stock still.

“Oh god!” Jack realised, horrified. “Oh god, Doctor, I swear I wouldn't have hit on her if I knew she was your mum, I swear ...”

“Oh, Theta,” Penny sobbed into the Doctor's chest, Jack disregarded completely. “Oh my little boy, I've found you!”

“What's goin' on?” Rose asked, coming up behind the Doctor to find a woman hugging him tightly. “Doctor?”

The Doctor just looked between Penny and Rose, an indescribable expression etched on his face combining surprise, shock, disbelief and utter confusion.

“Oh, Theta,” Penny kept saying over and over, her eyes shining with tears of joy, stepping back from the Doctor to reach up to his face, cupping his cheek. “Oh, you've still got your eyes, look at you, you're so grown up! Oh Theta, my son!”

“Wait, this is your mum!?” Rose yelped, staring at the Time Lord.

“... Yes?” the Doctor wondered in a tiny croak.

“But ... But ... How?” Rose stammered, now wearing the same expression as her husband. “You said ...”

“This is the Doctor's mum?!” Mickey suddenly appeared as if from nowhere, followed by absolutely everyone else, all straining their necks to get a glimpse of the woman. Rose glanced at them all, then quickly marched over to the paralysed Doctor and his apparent mother, taking them both by the hand and leading them to the TARDIS for a bit of privacy.

As the door clicked shut, the Doctor was quite obviously still in a fair amount of shock. Rose led him to the chair and sat him down, giving a quick kiss as if hoping to restore him to life. It didn't work.

“... Theta?” Penny wondered, gazing at him. Her expression had fallen.

“Hold on, just one moment,” Rose said quickly, hands in the air. “This ... This isn't right. What's your name?” Rose asked the lady.

“I am Penelope,” the woman replied softly, her eyes still transfixed to the Doctor. 

“Oh God,” the Doctor croaked quietly.

“... Am I not wanted here?” Penelope wondered sadly.

“N-no, I mean ... yes you are, but no ... Well, I mean, look,” Rose began a little messily, trying desperately to control the situation. “I don't understand. How’d you get here?”

“A train from Birmingham?” Penelope wondered blankly.

“No, I mean, how did you get to Earth?”

“Oh, well ever since the Time War I've been looking for my son, Theta ... I saw the headlines of the fugitive on Earth, I knew Doctor was a name he went by and ... Well I hoped if I came here I might find him. And I have ...” She averted her eyes back from Rose to the Doctor, still very sad.

“But ... I'm sorry, but you're dead,” Rose said seriously. “Didn't you die in the Time War? How did you survive?”

“I am not sure in all honesty,” Penelope admitted quietly. “But I woke up on Zahir 3 in a hospital, I didn't know anyone there so I left with no possessions to try and find my family, doing little jobs on the way to pay my fares. I knew how the Time War ended, and I knew that if I survived then Theta might still be alive too. So I decided I would search the entire universe for him if I had to. It has been so many years.”

Rose looked at the Doctor again, who still hadn't moved an inch, then back at Penelope. “I'm sorry, can you give us a minute?”

She just nodded, and turned away. Rose sat down next to the Doctor.

“Umm ...” she began, not really knowing what to say.

“She looks and acts just like her,” the Doctor muttered quietly. “It feels like her.”

Rose nodded slowly. “... I think this could be your mum.”

He didn't reply, just gazing at the floor. Rose finally nodded, and got up to walk over to Penelope, sticking out her hand to shake.

“I'm Rose Tyler, I'm human. I'm your son's wife. Sorta. Welcome to the family.”

Suddenly Penelope's sombre expression transformed into a happy smile as she shook Rose's hand. “Oh, thank you so much,” she said, beaming. “It's such a pleasure to meet you.”

“We've got two kids, Leah, she's four, and Alex, he's six months old.”

“I'm a grandmother!” she realised, beaming. “Oh, I can't wait to meet them.”

Rose smiled. “You will, but they're both asleep now. Tomorrow morning.”

Penelope nodded. “Thank you,” she said, and looked at the Doctor.

Rose turned with her, staring at her unmoving partner. “Doctor?”

He finally looked up, gazing at them both. Then he got to his feet and moved over to the console. 

“What planet do you want to go to?” he stated more than asked in a harsh tone of voice, not even looking at Penelope.

Penelope's expression fell as Rose frowned. “Doctor ...” Rose began.

“Stay out of this, Rose,” the Doctor replied sharply, looking at Penelope. “You came here to be evacuated to another planet. What planet do you want to go to?”

Penelope's eyes watered up again. “Theta ...”

“Don't call me that,” he spat. “Tell me where you're going.”

“Doctor, this is your mother!” Rose exclaimed, jaw agape.

“That,” the Doctor grated, pointing at Penelope but staring at Rose. “That  _ thing _ is  _ not  _ my mother.”

“But Theta ...” Penelope began, staring at him in dismay and hurt, moving forward towards him. “Please ...”

“Don't come near me!” the Doctor yelled, backing away as if he was scared. “Don't touch me! I don't know what you are, why you're here or why you're torturing me like this, but it's not going to work! So tell me where you want to go and I'll take you there and we won't say any more about this!”

“No, Theta, please, I  _ am _ your mother ...”

“You aren't her!” the Doctor nearly screamed, absolutely enraged. “You are  _ not _ my mother!!!”

Rose had never seen him like this before. “Doctor, please, just look at her,” she said quietly, pointing at the woman now sobbing to herself.

“It can cry all it likes!” the Doctor yelled. “I  _ am not buying it!” _

“Daddy, Mummy ...” suddenly came a voice from the doorway and in entered Leah in her pyjamas, cuddling Floppy.

“Go to bed, Leah,” the Doctor grated, not even looking at her.

“But Daddy ...”

The Doctor spun around to her, utterly furious and staring at her with piercing eyes. “ _ GO! TO! BED!!! _ ” he roared directly at her. Leah's lip instantly began to wobble and she turned and fled back into the depths of the TARDIS.

Rose instantly pounced him, absolutely infuriated. “I don't know what the  _ hell  _ you think you're doin' but you go and apologise to Leah  _ right now!” _

“Not before that  _ thing  _ leaves!” the Doctor spat, pointing at Penelope.

“She's stayin' here!” Rose yelled back, moving to Penelope to give her a comforting hug.

“This is  _ my TARDIS!  _ I can kick out whoever I  _ bloody  _ well like!”

“The TARDIS is not  _ yours _ , she's  _ ours!”  _

“She's always been mine!” he screamed back. “You think you can pilot her? Well go ahead, Rose! Take her for a spin!” he shouted, stepping back from the console and throwing his arms in the air to invite her to have a go.

“She's our family's!” Rose yelled, almost in tears now. “Or maybe you don't bloody  _ want  _ us anymore?!”

“How can you say that?!”

“You're doin' a pretty good job of actin' like you don't care about us!”

The Doctor just stared at her, his eyes piercing into her's, his teeth gritted. Finally he straightened up and started towards the TARDIS. “I need to get out of here,” he stated emotionlessly, grabbing his coat on the way.

“If you're still gonna be a wanker don't  _ bother  _ comin' back!” he heard Rose scream from behind him as he slammed the door shut. Instantly he met with the guilty faces of the entire Torchwood staff, who had obviously been listening at the door.

“What the hell are you all looking at?!” the Doctor yelled in their faces, and then made down the steps and out the rolling entrance door without so much as a look back.


	6. Babies R Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Doctor struggles to understand his new reality, Mickey and Martha receive some life-changing news.

The Doctor was relieved to find he had no one to confront when he got back to the Hub that night at 2am. He'd spent the entire evening strolling around Cardiff Bay trying to sort out his head, and although he wasn't even  _ remotely _ close to accepting the situation yet, he had felt a little better by kicking a bin over.

He decided that going to bed where Rose would be probably wasn't a good idea, so instead he decided to immerse himself in his favourite hobby of messing with the TARDIS. It had been a while since he'd been able to do it, what with Alex needing pretty much constant care since the moment he'd been born.

He was so immersed that he didn't notice the sound of tiny footsteps coming from across the room, and as a consequence when they announced their presence with a small, “Daddy” he jumped about a foot in the air and whacked his head on a large piece of metal.

Leah giggled as he moaned and poked his head out to see her standing there in her pyjamas holding Floppy's hand.

“Oh, what are you doing up?” he asked, rubbing his head as he moved to sit on the steps inside the floor plating.

“Couldn't sleep,” she told him shortly.

He frowned. “Bad dreams?”

She shook her head. “Nah, just couldn't sleep. Stop worrying. You worry a lot.”

He couldn't help but laugh, gazing at her for a moment before finally nodding and beckoning her. “C'mere,” he said, and she moved over to sit on the edge of the hole-in-the-door, legs dangling inside as she clutched onto Floppy, staring at him. “I'm really sorry about shouting at you earlier, there's no excuse, I was really angry and I took it out on you and I shouldn't have. Forgive me?”

Leah continued to stare at him for a moment before finally pursing her lips, considering. “I'll think about it,” she finally said, arms folded defiantly and looking down her nose at him.

He grinned. “Hug?” he wondered, arms stretched out.

She took a moment to think about that too. “... Okay,” she finally replied, and they met in a hug. He kissed her head and Leah yelped.

“I didn't say you could kiss me!” she told him seriously.

He laughed again and drew back, hands in the air in surrender. “Sorry.”

“What were you and Mummy arguing about?” she wondered.

The Doctor sighed, closing his eyes. He didn't like lying to her. She deserved the truth. “You know that woman who was in the Tardis earlier? Well ... Your mummy thinks that that woman is my mummy.”

“But your mummy and daddy died, you said they did,” she insisted.

He had absolutely no idea how she knew that, but he continued regardless. “I know. I don't think she's my Mummy, I think it's something else. I know my parents are dead and nothing is bringing them back... Especially not a train. And especially not one from Birmingham.”

They fell into silence for a moment, the Doctor staring at the grating sadly and Leah staring at him in turn. 

“Don't be sad,” she said suddenly.

He exhaled a long breath, then looked back up at her, offering a wan smile. “I'm okay.”

“Why do you always lie about being okay?” Leah wondered seriously.

She could read him like a book, the Doctor realised. He dreaded to think just how much better she'd be able to read him when the paternal-daughter bond between them established itself fully in a couple of years.

He decided to evade the question. “I never lie, I just tweak the truth.”

She giggled. “You're silly.”

“Yes, I am,” he said proudly. “If people didn't do silly things then nothing intelligent would ever get done.” He looked at her seriously for a moment. “Is it the boggart? Is that why you can't sleep?”

She shook her head.

“Did it bring back a few memories?” he persisted, determined to find out if there was something wrong.

Once again, she shook her head.

“You can tell me anything, Leah,” he pushed. “Don't be afraid of me, I will always be here to help you. I will never judge you, I will never do anything to make you sad, and nothing you could ever say would make me think any less of you. Because ... Because I'm your daddy and I love you and I need you to know that. Tell me what's going on, please, because if I don't know what's wrong then I can't fix it for you.”

“There's nothing wrong!” she insisted, slightly annoyed now. 

“Hey,” he said quickly. “I'm just trying to help.”

She looked at him guiltily. “Sorry,” she said.

“It's okay,” he replied, leaning forward again to hug her tightly. “Forgiven.” He drew back and grinned happily. “See? How easy was that! I forgave you just like that!”

She giggled. “Fine, you can kiss me.”

He beamed triumphantly and leant forward to place a single kiss on her forehead.

“So, absolutely nothing is bothering you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Okay, I'll believe you,” he said, though looked very unconvinced as they gazed at each other for a moment. “You know what, let me show you something.”

He moved back and gestured for her to come down under the TARDIS console and into her core. He manoeuvred himself to lay down on a bed of wires and Leah clambered to lie next to him, gazing around at the ethereal golden glow emanating from all directions, bathing them both in light and warmth like the sun on a summer's day.

“It's pretty,” Leah said.

“Yeah,” he replied, turning to look at her. “Whenever I'm scared, I like to come here and lie in this exact spot, and just think. It's one of the places I feel happiest in.”

“Why is everything gold?” Leah wondered.

“That's the heart of the Tardis and the energy from the time vortex,” he explained. “We're shielded from the heart in here, it's the closest we can get without being affected by it. You know, one day I'll teach you all about the Tardis.”

“How to fly her?” Leah asked instantly.

“Yes, one day.”

“Now?” 

He laughed. “Not now, I meant one day when you're actually tall enough to reach the buttons.”

Leah looked at him disapprovingly. “I  _ am _ tall!”

“Sure thing, tiny little Leah,” he replied, grinning cheekily.

“Hey!” she moaned.

He just laughed again, and then fell silent, just staring into the golden light. Within a few minutes he heard light breathing from next to him and he looked to find Leah lying there asleep.

With utter care and precision he moved her out from under the console and out of the hole-in-the-floor, making back to her bedroom with a half-asleep Leah clinging onto his neck. 

The TARDIS was completely silent. He wondered what room Rose had put that woman in. He would have to face the both of them tomorrow.

He finally got to Leah's room and settled his now four-year-old daughter down into bed, putting Floppy in her arms and giving her a kiss, before drawing up the covers and leaving. He made a quick trip to the Infirmary to check on Alex, who was, unsurprisingly, sleeping like a baby. He seemed to be dealing with his pneumonia very well. The Doctor checked his medicines and made sure Alex was getting everything he needed, before heading back to the console.

* * *

 

The Doctor had avoided Penelope all of the next morning. He'd run a couple of scans via the TARDIS on her to see if it was some kind of shape-shifter or composite lifeform, but it had completely checked out fine. He still wasn't going to accept it, though. There was something else at work, he knew it. The only thing he didn't know was what exactly it was doing here. However, if it had malicious intent for him or his family, he would be on it in seconds.

Martha had arrived for her and the Doctor to check Alex that morning. Some quick scans revealed he was beginning to show signs of recovery, After they were done they cleaned up, and Martha quickly rushed to the bathroom. When she got back she looked very green indeed.

“You okay?” the Doctor asked. 

She sighed, and then nodded.

“Want me to check you out?” he wondered.

“Err ... if you could,” she replied, nodding. “I think I know already ... but it's probably better to check.”

He nodded, giving Alex a kiss before he rose from his seat and gestured for her to move to the scanner. Suddenly the entirety of Torchwood seemed to arrive bang on time as they always seemed to manage, crowding into the infirmary like a massive human tide.

“What's goin' on?” Mickey asked anxiously, seeing his wife in the scanner.

“I'll tell you in roughly thirty seconds,” the Doctor replied, hitting the scanner keys. The red lines ran up and down Martha until the scanner pinged completion and a piece of paper buzzed out. The Doctor took it and moved back over to Alex, taking the boy onto his lap. Alex successfully grabbed the paper from his dad's hand, then put it in his mouth.

“Ahh, no, Alex!” the Doctor said quickly, pulling the paper from Alex's weak grip. “Daddy needs this. And don't eat paper.”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and it edged open slowly, to reveal Penelope standing there, looking a little nervous. She glanced at the Torchwood crowd, and then her eyes fixed on the Doctor, who purposely didn't look at her.

“I ... wondered ...” she began quietly, nervously. “I wondered if you would like ...” she trailed off, still staring at he Doctor who was just absorbed in Alex sitting on his lap. He was completely ignoring her. She glanced around at the crowd again, who were all staring at her. “... Never mind,” she said in a trembling voice, and rushed out of the door.

Everyone looked back at the Doctor again, who was continuing as though nothing had happened, holding up the paper and checking it as Alex tried to grab it again.

“Ah,” he announced, looking at Mickey. “Looks like the honeymoon went well.”

He blinked, staring at the Doctor. “What?”

“Your wife is pregnant,” the Doctor clarified.

“... What?” Mickey repeated in a croak, utterly wrong-footed.

“Yeah, you know, your wife. The one sitting over there,” the Doctor said, nodding at Martha. 

Mickey continued to stand there, absolutely stunned. “I'm gonna have a baby ...” he realised, jaw agape.

“Here, sit down...” Martha said quickly, moving forward to help her stunned husband drop down into a chair, where he just sat rigid, staring at the wall. Then suddenly he was beaming from ear-to-ear. “I'm gonna have a baby!” he yelled in delight, and hugged and kissed his wife in pure, undivided joy.

“What?” a voice came from the doorway and Rose appeared.

“I'm pregnant,” Martha told her.

Rose instantly burst into smiles and a million congratulations, running over to hug them both tightly. “Oh congratulations!”

Jack suddenly let out a loud sigh. “I feel so left out, everyone's got babies except me,” he said. 

Ianto looked at him. “Good luck with that.”

Rose turned to the Doctor, and instantly her smile seemed crash down around her mouth, her brow furrowing, her eyes piercing into his as her hands snapped to her hips. “Doctor,” she began sharply. “A word, please?”

The Doctor nodded quickly, obeying her command as he got up off the bed with Alex still in his arms, moving to Mickey.

“Here,” he said, putting Alex in his arms. “Get some practice.”

Then he moved out of the door after Rose, who took him into the kitchen and closed the door, forcing him to sit down in a chair.

“How can you do this?” she aske, aghast.  “You're not just avoidin' her; you're  _ completely  _ ignorin' her. Now she's about to have a nap but you could go in there and ...”

“Rose, I thought we talked about this ...”

“At  _ least  _ talk to her!” Rose said, throwing her arms up in the air. “Just listen to what she says, I'm not sayin' you have to accept her, just please, talk to her and then decide.”

“I don't trust it. I don't think it's here for any good reason.”

Rose frowned. “What are you sayin'?”

“Just ... don't leave it alone with Leah or Alex.”

“But she's your mum!”

“It isn't my mother.”

“How can she not be your mum?”

“My mother is dead, Rose. This woman, however a good copy, is an  _ imposter _ . She might look like her, speak like her, act like her ... Whatever this thing is, it's smart. It can see right into my mind. I don't know what it's trying to do, maybe it's torturing me, I don't know. But my mother is dead.”

“Is there any chance whatsoever that she might've lived?”

“No ...”

“Think about it, don't just say no. Could anyone have survived the war? The Master did, right? So it's not all impossible?”

“Well it's not impossible, but ...”

“Okay, hold that thought. Just imagine for one moment, just think for one second that ... Maybe the impossible happened. Maybe she's alive. Maybe that woman in there is your mother, and she's not dead. You didn't kill her. Now after years of searchin' she has finally found you, her son. She knows what you did in the war, but she has completely forgiven you. Now I'm a mum too, and I know that whatever Leah or Alex did, however bad, I would forgive them...”

“Rose...”

“Shut up and let me finish. Only a mum could forgive her son for doing that. She keeps talkin' to me about you, how proud she is of you, how beautifully you've grown. She loves you, and I know it's not fake. Now she's found you again she never wants to let you go, but you're pushin' her away because in your mind you think she's dead. But she's not, Doctor. She's here. And she wants to be with her family. But you're castin' her off, callin' her an imposter, and it hurts her, Doctor. She's not havin' a nap. She's sat in there right now cryin' because of you. Now accept the truth, suck it up, go in there and apologise to your mum. I'll make sure no one disturbs you.”

He didn't reply for a moment, before swallowing at looking up at her. “... But what if she's not real?” he croaked.

Her angry expression fell slightly. “Look, I know I can’t even begin to understand how hard this is for you, but she’ll help you. We both will. Just let us in. Cos … what if she  _ is _ real?”

He stared at her, then dropped his gaze to the floor, looking like a wounded puppy. On instinct she leant forward to give him a supportive hug.

“Just go and talk to her,” she told him gently. “Just do that for me?”

He sighed, and looked back up at her. “Okay,” he muttered.

“Thank you,” she said, and kissed him. He rose from the chair, seeking out her hand. She took it, and squeezed it reassuringly before leading him out the door and taking him to the bedroom Penelope was in. With one final kiss she let go, and left him standing in front of the door alone.

He felt extremely numb, just staring at the door blankly. Of course, all the facts were staring him in the face. Her biology checked out, she acted like her, had her memories and her opinions and emotions, as well as the fact it was actually theoretically possible that she survived the Time War ... There was no stalwart reason that this wasn't his mum. 

He had already grieved her death, though. He'd been through it, every single painful second, every single tiny tear he'd shed, not only for his race, but primarily for her. As far as his brain was concerned, she was dead, and this was just too much to take in.

But what if she wasn't real? Or what if she died while she was with him? He would have to go through the entire grieving process all over again. 

Was this really worth the pain? Was this really worth another Jenny?

But if he pushed her away and it really  _ was  _ her, how could he deal with that either?

For once in his life, he had no idea how to handle this.

He closed his eyes, counted to ten under his breath, and lifted his arm. Another count to ten, and he clenched his fist. Another count ... and he knocked three times.

“Come in,” came a muffled, choked reply.

He took another breath, and pushed open the door to find Penelope sitting there on the bed, her hands at her eyes. She looked up, and froze instantly.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Theta, I mean, Doctor,” she breathed quickly, wiping at her eyes. “I'll be out of your way.”

She quickly made to up and leave, but the Doctor reached out to press a hand on her arm. 

She stopped, and looked at him. His eyes were shining with unfallen tears, gazing at her face.

“... Theta?” she asked in a croak.

“Mother,” he whispered simply. 

The floodgates opened. She quickly took him into a loving hug, kissing his forehead affectionately as he sobbed into her shoulder. His legs started trembling so she guided him to sit down on the bed, still holding him tightly and brushing back his hair. They were both in tears now.

“It's fine, Theta,” she whispered, kissing his forehead again. 

“I m-missed you ...” he sobbed. “I th-thought about you all the t-time ... It... It was s-so hard t-to forget y-you, I j-just ... I ...”

“I know,” she whispered. “No harm done.”

“I'm s-so s-sorry, M-Mother ...”

“Theta,” she said gently, still brushing back his hair and holding his trembling frame. “I forgive you.”


	7. A Night Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope gets acquainted with her new grandchildren as the Doctor and Rose finally take their ‘alone night’, and discuss marriage.

“Hi, I'm Leah!” Leah said boldly, sticking out her hand to Penelope, beaming.

“Hello,” Penelope replied with a smile, shaking the offered hand. “I suppose I'm your granny.”

“So you're Daddy's Mummy?”

“Yes, I am.”

“But aren't you dead?”

“I don't feel very dead,” Penelope replied.

Leah beamed. “Will you buy me loads of presents like my other granny?” 

“Leah,” the Doctor warned. “What did I say about being rude?”

“No, it's fine,” Penny replied with a soft chuckle and continued to smile at Leah. “Of course I will, Leah.”

“Thank you!” she said, beaming before looking up at her mum. “Mummy, can I go and play?”

“Of course you can,” Rose told her, and instantly Leah got up and skipped out the door.

“Well, that was short,” the Doctor said, a little apologetically to Penelope.

Penelope chuckled again. “She reminds me of you when you were just out of the loom.”

Rose giggled as the Doctor went bright red. “Would you like to meet Alex, now?” she asked Penelope.

She nodded. “Yes, please.”

“He's in the Infirmary,” Rose explained as they got up and moved out into the corridor. “He's not well.”

“Oh, nothing serious I hope,” Penelope said quickly.

Rose shook her head as they continued down the corridor. “No, but the Shadow Proclamation did somethin' to me when I was pregnant and he was born prematurely. He can't talk or walk yet and Leah was doin' that all by two months. He's always ill.”

“I'm very sorry to hear that,” Penelope said gently. “If there's anything I can do to help ...?”

“We're just keeping an eye on him,” the Doctor explained, his voice dropping as they entered the quiet Infirmary. “The Tardis keeps a constant watch over him and she alerts us if his condition changes.”

“It seems we have a lot to catch up on,” Penelope said. 

“About two hundred years,” the Doctor supplied, grinning.

They reached Alex and found him lying there not moving. However, the instant he felt his parents' presence his eyes snapped open and he threw up his arms, giggling.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Rose said gently, taking him in both arms and kissing him. “How are you?”

He giggled again and hugged her, before he looked up at the Doctor and threw his arms to him as well. He obliged, hugging him and kissing him before Alex was finally satisfied and looked up at the new person.

“Alex, this is your other granny,” Rose told him.

He threw out his arms for a hug from her too. Penelope smiled and took him, cradling him in both arms.

“Hello, Alex,” she said gently.

He giggled and instantly went to grab her hair.

“He's got a hair fetish,” Rose explained, laughing.

“Hey, Doc, I've got ...” began a voice from the doorway and they looked up to see Jack standing there, staring at Penelope.

“Hello, Jack,” she said, smiling.

“Hey, Penny ...” He glanced between her and the Doctor for a moment, a little unsure how to phrase his next question. “... You guys made up?”

The Doctor nodded and moved forward. “Jack, this is my mum, Penelope. Mum, this is Jack.”

“Yeah, we've met,” Jack said, smiling at Penelope.

“Jack, if you flirt with my mum I'll break your manipulator again,” the Doctor warned lowly.

Jack was all innocence. “I didn't do anything!”

“Perhaps Jack could show me the err... is it called the Hub?” Penelope said.

“Yes, ma'am,” Jack said as she gave Alex back to his mother with a good bye to the boy, who giggled even more than before. “Just follow me.”

And with that, he linked his arm through Penelope's and strode off out the Infirmary.

The Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes and looking to Rose. 

She gave him a warm smile. “Thank you for givin' her a chance.”

He nodded, dropping to sit down on the bed next to her and Alex. “Just ... Just promise me that if this all goes wrong you'll be there for me.”

“I'll always be there for you,” Rose told him seriously, and kissed him. 

He drew back, gazing at her for a moment, before pulling a face. “Oh, this is mushy.”

She giggled, triggering a giggle from Alex as he stared up at them both with wide eyes. They both looked down as he reached up to their faces, his eyes full of wonder before he suddenly launched into a chesty coughing fit. Rose held him through it, kissing him until he was done.

“I really hope he'll start talking soon,” Rose admitted, brushing back his hair. “Do you think it could be brain damage?”

“Well, he's not deaf or mute,” the Doctor muttered. “Maybe he just doesn't want to yet.” He turned his attention to Alex who was silently gazing up at him. “Hello, Alex, I'm Daddy. Can you say daddy?”

Alex didn't say a word.

“Maybe we should start signing with him?” the Doctor suggested, looking at Rose.

“What do you mean?”

“As a form of communication, make things up or pinch from sign language,” the Doctor clarified, looking at Alex. “Alex, you ...” he pointed at the boy. “Hungry?” he gestured holding something in his right hand and moving it back and forth from his mouth. Alex seemed to get it instantly, shaking his head. “Thirsty?” the Doctor continued, holding up his left hand to his mouth and moving his head back, as if drinking. Alex shook his head again. The Doctor smiled. “Happy?” he asked, smiling and tracing a bigger smile on his face with his index finger. Alex nodded, giggling. “Thank you,” the Doctor finished, tapping his chin and moving his hand forward. Alex copied happily.

“He seems to understand us fine,” Rose observed.

“Well, like I said, he might just be waiting until he understands more before he talks, but if he's not talking within a couple of months we'll have to look into it,” the Doctor said, and Alex launched into yet another coughing fit.

“Oh god,” Rose muttered as the Doctor rested a hand on Alex's forehead.

“He's a little feverish, can you get the blue liquid for the needle gun?” he asked Rose and she nodded, getting up as the Doctor took Alex from her and sat him down in front of him. He'd stopped coughing, and was now just staring up at him again. Then suddenly he shifted on his bum, dropped down off of the bed and toddled off towards the door.

The Doctor blinked, staring at the sight. “Um ... Rose?”

“Hmm?”

He pointed to Alex walking off across the Infirmary.

“... When did he start walkin'?” Rose asked, genuinely confused.

“Five seconds ago?” the Doctor wondered, his eyebrows so high they were almost in his hairline.

“So he can walk but he can't talk yet?” Rose asked seriously as they watched him try to reach the door switch. He jumped, then landed awkwardly and fell over backwards onto his rump. Then he got up and tried to reach the switch again without so much as a squeak.

“He jumped!” Rose realised in utter surprise.

“This is strange,” the Doctor muttered, running a hand through his hair. “He wasn't even crawling that much, and now he can walk and jump?”

“This is good, right?” Rose asked, still staring at the boy trying to get to the switch but coming up short every time. “Maybe that means he'll talk soon.”

“Hopefully,” the Doctor replied, getting up. “Alex!” He moved over to the boy and scooped him up, taking him back to the bed. “Come on. I'm very impressed, but you need to rest.”

Alex just looked up at him again, perfectly content and smiling as though nothing he'd done had been of any interest whatsoever.

* * *

 

Thankfully, Penelope had agreed to look after Alex and Leah to give the Doctor and Rose their overdue alone night. They stocked high with snacks and went to the TARDIS cinema where it was showing Child's Play, both opting to take the seats at the back despite the fact there was obviously no one else there.

They found a comfortable position of Rose using the Doctor's chest as a pillow, with the Time Lord himself strewn out over several seats, one arm around her shoulders and the other free to take popcorn from the box in Rose's lap. 

“Oh god, I hate this bit,” Rose muttered as Chucky made his first kill.

“Hmm?”

“When they think it's Andy! It's horrible.”

“I'm just struggling to understand how they think a little boy possibly had the strength to push this full-grown adult woman through a solid glass window,” the Doctor said in reply, shoving some more popcorn into his mouth.

“Good point. Though this film does freak me out.”

“You should try visiting the World Of Aunty Winnie and getting yelled at by an annoyed dying purple pony.”

“... Umm, what?”

“Never mind,” the Doctor replied, and went for some more popcorn as Chucky continued his rampage on-screen.

“I always feel like a rebel when I sit at the back of the cinema,” Rose admitted.

“Why?” 

“It's where you make out because no one else can see you.”

“Oh,” the Doctor realised. Then thought about this for a moment. “Humans have some strange customs.”

She giggled, looking at the screen again.

“Are you trying to subtly tell me something?” the Doctor wondered seriously after a moment, chewing his popcorn thoughtfully.

She laughed. “Nothin' of the sort.”

“Right,” he replied, laughing with her and almost choking on his popcorn.

“Oh, by the way, don't talk to my mum at the moment.”

“Why?”

“Well, she rang earlier to talk about Mickey and Martha's weddin', then she said how sad she was that  she'd missed ours ...”

“Oh god,” the Doctor muttered, snapping his head to look at her. “You didn't.”

“Umm ... Yeah.”

“Oh no. She's gonna be chasing after me with engagement rings and reception seating plans isn't she?”

“Yup,” Rose replied, popping the 'p'.

“Thanks,” the Doctor said somewhat sarcastically, smiling. “What did you tell her?”

“I said we were thinkin' about it to get her to shut up,” Rose confessed, laughing.

He nodded. “... Do you want to get married?”

She shrugged, indifferent. “I don't care. We're already bonded.”

“We can if you want,” he said in a tone of voice that dreaded a reply.

“No,” she said strongly. “If you don't want to then I don't.”

“Okay, if you're sure,” he replied. “I just don't see the point. Marriage means nothing to me. It's boring and pointless, a well-rehearsed play with stupid outfits; the whole thing means nothing and would belittle how much I love you. I don't need a metal ring on my finger to prove how much you mean to me.”

“So that's a definite no,” Rose summarised, laughing. “Mum's gonna blow a fuse.”

“Are there any fuses left to blow?” the Doctor asked seriously.

She just laughed again, and reached for some popcorn only find there was only crumbs left.

“You ate it all!” she yelped, annoyed.

The Doctor just beamed and reached under his seat, bringing out another box and putting it between her thighs.

“This one's mine,” she said simply, opening it and instantly shoving as much as she could in her mouth until she looked like a hamster. The Doctor took one look at her and burst out laughing. She tried desperately not to giggle so she wouldn't spew it out and chewed and swallowed, finally clearing her mouth after a few moments. He saw her expression and laughed again.

“Hey!” she moaned, their faces inches apart. She leant in and kissed him deeply, taking him by surprise.

“Is this the making out thing you were talking about?’ he wondered.

“Maybe,” she said, grinning as she started snogging him again. Pretty soon the film was completely forgotten.   



	8. A Little MacGyver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex goes AWOL, as another surprise visitor turns up at Torchwood.

“Would you like some more tea, Miss Floppy?” Francine the bear asked, leaning forward holding some tea to Floppy.

“Yes, thank you, Francine!” Floppy squeaked in reply, taking the tea and having a noisy sip. “How delightful!”

“I do love Sundays!” Francine commented, taking a sip of her own tea.

“I agree, Francine!” Floppy replied, brushing back her ear that was flapping around in front of her black bead eyes. “Because nothing ever happens on Sundays! It's just so relaxing! Would you like a slice of lemon cake?”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and both Floppy and Francine looked.

“Oh, whoever could that be?” Francine wondered, getting up from the table and shuffling over to the door. She opened it to reveal ...

“Oh no!!!” she screamed, her hand moving to her mouth. “It's Dinny the dinosaur!”

“Gimme all yer moneh!” Dinny the dinosaur demanded angrily, shoving through the door and whacking Francine in the head with his tail.

“Ow!” Francine cried as she fell to the floor in a daze.

“Oh no, Francine!” Floppy exclaimed, getting up and backing away from Dinny and trembling in pure fear. “I'll call the police!” she squeaked, trying to sound more confident than she actually was.

“If you dern't give me yer moneh I'll gobble yer both up with some ketchup!” Dinny threatened.

“Excuse me!” a voice suddenly cried from the doorway and Super Ted appeared, his cape flowing in the breeze.

Dinny spun around in alarm as Floppy sank the the floor in pure relief. “Oh no, not Super Ted!” he exclaimed.

“Just what might you be doing in the house of such pretty ladies on a Sunday, if not having tea and cake?” Super Ted wanted to know.

“Nuffin', Super Ted!” Dinny insisted quickly. “Ah was just leavin'!”

“Off with you, Dinny! May you one day see the error of your ways!” Super Ted demanded, stepping aside from the doorway to let Dinny run out, screaming.

With a contented and triumphant laugh, Super Ted turned back to Floppy and Francine, who was now sitting at the table rubbing her head.

“Have no fear, ladies! For as long as I live no harm shall ever befall you!” he assured them, hands on his hips again.

“Oh, thank you, Super Ted!” Francine and Floppy chorused.

“You are very welcome, because crime  _ never  _ pays! Except for when you get away with it, of course.” He paused for a moment, and then saw Floppy standing there. “... Miss Floppy, have I ever told you just how pretty you are?”

“Oh, stop it, Super Ted!” Floppy replied, probably would've having blushed if she could.

“But Miss Floppy ...” He inched forward.

“No, really, Super Ted, stop it,” Floppy replied, a lot more firmly this time.

“I love you, Miss Floppy!” Super Ted yelled in delight and jumped onto her, snogging the life out of her.

“Jack!!!” the Doctor yelled angrily, Floppy now torn from his grip. “You just  _ had _ to ruin it, didn't you?”

Jack drew apart Super Ted and Floppy, shrugging. “I just thought it needed a little romance!”

“Rose,” the Doctor began, looking at her. She was still holding Dinny the dinosaur. “Back me up on this!”

Rose just looked at Leah, who was staring at the sight, clapping in delight. Her brother was sitting beside her, and he copied her clapping, looking a little confused.

“I liked it,” Leah insisted.

“Thank you!” Jack acknowledged with a nod. “A little bit of realism goes a long way, Doctor.”

The Doctor sighed, sitting Francine back down in her tea party chair just as there was a knock on the door.

“Lunch is ready!” Penelope called.

Everyone instantly stopped arguing, and before any of the adults had managed to right themselves Leah was out the door and gone.

The Doctor stooped to pick up Alex as Rose and Jack got to their feet. 

“See you guys later,” Jack said.

“Stay for lunch if you like,” Rose said.

Jack shook his head. “Thanks, but me and Yan have plans.”

“Okay,” Rose replied, giving him a hug of farewell.

“Bye, Alex!” Jack said to the boy, who giggled and waved as Jack left. Then Alex yawned, and rested his head on his dad's chest.

“Meet you in the kitchen,” the Doctor said and left, taking Alex to his cot. 

He settled the boy down inside, who yawned again. The Doctor gazed at him lying there a moment longer, then leant forward to kiss him. It had been another few days, and his pneumonia had cleared up quite quickly so the Doctor had elected to take him out of the Infirmary and put him back in the nursery. For now. He had always done this knowing it would probably be only a matter of weeks, even days until something else struck.

“Bye, Alex,” he said gently. 

The boy stared up at him, and opened his mouth slowly, as if he was about to say something ...

The Doctor's eyes widened. “Bye, Alex! Bye!”

Several seconds went by ... and then Alex yawned again and closed his mouth. 

The Doctor stifled a sigh, and just gave him a smile. “Bye,” he said again, then moved to the door, deliberately slowly just in case Alex said something. But he didn't.

* * *

 

“Thank you, that was really nice,” Leah told Penelope politely as Rose moved around to clean up the plates.

“You're very welcome, my dear,” Penelope replied with that ever gentle smile.

“Can I go and play?” Leah asked, and rather than directing the question at either of her parents she was directing it at Penelope.

“Of course,” Penelope replied with a nod, and like a lighting bolt the four-year-old was off the chair and out the door. 

Rose smiled, taking her seat again. “I think she likes you.”

“I'm very glad,” Penelope replied, the both of them laughing quietly before noticing the Doctor, staring at the table as he had been most of lunch.

“What's up?” Rose asked him, resting a hand on his arm.

The Doctor snapped out of it instantly, looking up. “Oh, nothing, just thinking.”

“What about?” Rose asked.

“Alex,” the Doctor admitted. “When I put him in his cot earlier it was like ... Well, I thought he was going to say something. It's like. .. It's like he's trying to but he just can't figure out how.”

“Maybe he'll figure it out soon, yeah?” Rose reassured him as best she could. “Wonder what his first word'll be? I'm rootin' for mum, but you know, I'll have anythin'.”

“Gran,” Penelope put in with a smile.

The Doctor and Rose both laughed at that. “I'll take that,” Rose said.

“What about dad?” the Doctor tried.

“Not fair! Leah said dad as her first word.”

“Because it's easier to say,” the Doctor said, laughing. She dug him in the ribs. He mocked frowned and rubbed his side.

“Better go and feed him,” Rose said, getting off her chair and dabbing the Doctor a quick kiss before she left, leaving the Doctor and his mother sitting alone.

“I'm sure Alex will be fine,” Penelope assured him gently. “If he's anything like you. If it's any consolation, you were quite similar for the first few years after you were loomed.”

The Doctor smiled appreciatively. “Thanks, Mum.”

She nodded understandingly ... Just as there was a scream of, “DOCTOR!” from another room. The Doctor was off in a shot, following the cry straight to Rose stood in the nursery, staring at the cot.

“He's gone!” Rose gasped spinning around to meet him, her eyes wide in a true reflex response of mother hysteria. “Doctor, he's gone!”

“Calm down, Rose,” the Doctor said quickly, observing the situation. “If he'd been stolen by a salivating ten foot monster I think we'd have heard. See, look ...”

He leant forward, and examined the evidence trail. Then froze, frowning slightly.

“Oh blimey,” he muttered, staring at the sight in front of him.

“What?” 

“Look,” the Doctor began, moving over to the cot and picking up a toy screwdriver from Alex's toy toolbox from the cot. “He's ... He stood up in his cot, used this screwdriver to lean over the sides and undo the catches for the side so it dropped down. Then he ...” He moved to the next object, a pillow on the floor. “He threw the pillow where he would land, jumped down, then moved over to the door ...” He followed the trail to a pile of Lego leant against the wall. “He made a L _ ego  _ tower with stairs, climbed up and hit the switch ... The door opened ...” 

With a glance at Rose he moved into their bedroom. “Right, the door here was open so he just walked through, then...”

He emerged out into the corridor, looking around for any hint of where Alex went next. Then he saw the toolbox by the door to the console room, opened with tools scattered everywhere. He ran over to it and examined the next situation. “Right, so he got here but he couldn't reach so he ...” 

He stooped to pick up the abandoned tools. They were slotted together. “He ... He slotted them together and used the pole to hit the switch. Then ...”

He got up and went through the door into the console room, looking around. The TARDIS door was ajar. He went over to it and peeked out to find Leah sitting alone in the middle of Torchwood playing with Myfanwy, stroking the Pteranodon's beak.

“Leah?”

“Yes?” Leah asked, looking up.

“Have you seen your little brother?” the Doctor asked.

She nodded. “He wanted to go out, so I opened the Tardis door for him and then he climbed up those stairs,” she said, pointing to the stairs that led to Jack's office.

“Thanks,” the Doctor replied, following the path up the stairs. Just as he got to Jack's office the door opened to reveal Jack standing there holding Alex in both hands. 

“Looking for this?” he wondered.

“Yes!” the Doctor exclaimed, taking the boy into his arms.

“I found him in my top cupboard, with the alien artefacts,” Jack replied with a slight frown. “I don't have a  _ clue  _ how he managed that without me noticing.”

Rose looked at the Doctor. “You do know what this means, right?”

“What?”

“We've got a little MacGyver.”

“I'll say,” the Doctor muttered, kissing Alex. The boy was giggling and hugging his dad's neck, perfectly content in his arms.

“What's wrong?” Penelope's voice asked anxiously from next to the TARDIS, calling up to them.

“Nothing, Mum. Found him!” the Doctor called back down. She smiled in relief and made to go back in the TARDIS.

Suddenly the Hub door rolled back, and a new person entered. 

“This is the Sol Three refuge centre, yes?” the man called up with a tone of voice that somehow commanded utter and complete authority over them all.

Jack quickly slipped between the Rose and the Doctor and flew down the stairs to greet him, the Doctor and Rose leisurely following on behind. The man was a tall, broad-shouldered dark-haired humanoid wearing a long black cloak. Jack extended a hand to shake. The man looked at the hand with disdain, then looked up at Jack again.

Jack frowned slightly, a little taken aback, but continued regardless. “Yeah, this is the Sol 3 refuge centre.”

“Excellent,” the man replied, looking around the Hub with a slight sneer, before his eyes connected with Penelope moving back into the TARDIS ...

“Penelope!” the man called, shocked. 

Penelope turned at the voice, and then froze. “Ulysses? But ...”

“Father?!” yet another exclamation came from yet another direction, and everyone instantly looked at the Doctor who was staring at Ulysses with his jaw agape. Rose quickly took Alex before the Doctor could drop him in utter shock.

“Theta!” Ulysses realised. 

“Are you serious?” Rose croaked, looking at the Doctor.

Suddenly as if from nowhere, Leah appeared at her parent's feet, staring at Ulysses.

“Does this mean I get more presents?” she wondered.


	9. The Last Rolo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor struggles with his past demons, and Rose begins to get worried about the nature of his relationship with his father.

“You did  _ what?!”  _ Ulysses practically screamed at his son, who was sat there hunched over at the kitchen table staring at the floor. “You stupid,  _ stupid  _ boy!”

“Father ...” the Doctor muttered with no strength behind it whatsoever. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.

“How could you even  _ think  _ of doing something like that?!” Ulysses grabbed his hair and wrenched the Doctor's head up to meet his gaze, screaming in his face. “Let alone actually do it!”

“F-Father,” the Doctor stammered, trying not to look at him. “At ... At the end of the Time War the Time Lords ...”

Ulysses cut straight over him, ignoring his protest. “You are a murderer, Theta! A cold-blooded murderer of billions of innocent people!”

“Excuse me ...” Rose began quietly, but she was completely ignored.

“This is  _ beyond  _ sickening!” Ulysses continued to scream. “I would hand you over to the Celestial Intervention Agency  _ right now  _ if you hadn't killed them all, you little staazula!”

Penelope decided she'd had enough. “Ulysses, please,” she began, moving to her son. “All has been said and done, we cannot change it. We must accept it and move on.”

“Oh, stop trying to defend him, Penelope!” Ulysses spat angrily. “This is  _ utterly  _ inexcusable!”

“I'm sure Theta had his reasons,” Penelope replied, as calm as ever.

“There is no reason in the  _ universe  _ to justify killing most of his entire race!” Ulysses yelled, slamming his fist onto the table and making the plates jump in the air. “I told you he was a good-for-nothing little runt! Braxiatel wasn't much better but I'd happily welcome him back to our family to replace this waste of DNA!”

“Maybe he'll walk through the door in a minute,” the Doctor muttered.

“Is this merely a  _ joke  _ to you?!” Ulysses screamed, infuriated. “All it ever was to you, was a  _ joke!  _ Wasn't it, Theta?!”

“Ulysses!” Penelope interjected, stronger than last time. “Leave him alone!”

“You are always taking his side, Penelope!” Ulysses yelled, pointing an accusing finger. “By Rassilon's beard, grow a spine, woman, and face the reality that your  _ darling _ son is a mass murderer!”

Penelope's eyebrows suddenly lowered, her expression hardening. “Ulysses, this is your son. I am your wife. This here is Rose, not that you have bothered to ask, who is your son's bonded partner. You have two grandchildren. Like it or not, this is your family, and if you wish to stay here with us you will  _ be quiet,”  _ she grated dangerously.

That finally seemed to shut him up as he fell into silence, and resorted to just staring at her with narrowed eyes.

Penelope ignored him. “Theta,” she began gently to the Doctor. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” the Doctor croaked unconvincingly.

“Rose,” Penelope began, gesturing the woman over. “Take Theta and look after him.”

Rose nodded, taking the Doctor's hand and leading him out the door. He didn't say a word until they got to their bedroom, and Rose made sure the door was locked.

“He's right,” the Doctor suddenly croaked, sitting on the bed staring at the wall.

“What?” Rose asked, dropping to sit next to him.

“I'm a mass murderer. A cold-blooded mass murderer.”

“Seriously, you're listenin' to that guy?” Rose wondered with a raised eyebrow.

“He's my father,” the Doctor said, as if it explained everything.

“I think he's a complete bastard with his head stuck so far up his own arse he could tell the dentist he'd missed a spot.”

He looked at her, and smiled weakly at that.

“I mean bloody hell, if my Dad turned out to be like that, our trip back to his death day would've been a lot shorter,” Rose continued, beginning to laugh.

He laughed at that and she smiled in return, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

“You are not a mass murderer, you saved trillions and trillions of life-forms,” she told him gently. “You did what you had to do, sacrificin' all you had to save the entire Universe from the Daleks, yeah? He doesn't know anythin' about what you went through and he's really, really wrong about you.”

He nodded slightly. He still didn't seem all that convinced by it, but Rose knew she would never, ever fully persuade him to be completely guiltless about it.

“Now come on, I still need to feed Alex,” she said, slipping her hand into his and pulling him to stand up, leading him to the adjoining nursery where she quickly stopped dead, and sighed.

“He's gone again,” she muttered.

* * *

 

A few hours later after Alex had been located in the living room trying to destroy the equipment, both Leah and Alex had been settled into bed - this time the Doctor had double-locked Alex's nursery door so at least they wouldn't be starting a Cardiff-wide search for him when they went to bed. 

They sat in the kitchen having some tea and nibbling on some biscuits, talking about everything that didn't involve the Doctor's parents. The Doctor got up to make more tea, when suddenly Ulysses entered, marching as he always did towards the Doctor. He raised a hand to the cupboard just by the Doctor's head ... And Rose watched as the Doctor flinched.

Ulysses looked at him, raising his eyebrows.

“S-sorry, Father,” the Doctor muttered, checking himself before picking up the mugs and moving to the table dropping to the seat opposite Rose and not moving a muscle. After a few moments Ulysses got what he had come for then left, and the Doctor visibly relaxed.

“What was that about?” Rose asked seriously.

“Hmm?” he asked in a tone that meant he didn't want a conversation about it.

Rose ignored that. “You went all tense and you flinched,” she told him patiently.

He looked at her and sighed. “I'm ... I'm just a bit nervous around him.”

“Why?”

“It's like ...” he paused, thinking. “It's like Mrs Gail.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “My Year 7 secondary school English teacher?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, one, how the hell do you know about her and two, what's she got to do with it?”

“I may have access to one of two of your childhood diaries,” the Doctor said casually.

“What?!”

“Well after you and Jackie went to the parallel world you were both listed as dead ... So the council took back the flat. But while they were clearing out I went back, pretended I was a relative and got all of your things that I could.”

Rose stared at him. “... You went back to get our stuff when you thought you'd never see us again?”

The Doctor went a little red. “Umm ... Yes.”

“Oh, that's so cute!” Rose squeaked, grinning and leaning forward to kiss him. “Where is it all? Why didn't you tell me before?”

“In one of the storage rooms,” the Doctor answered. “I've never really thought about it since I saw you again.”

“Can I see it?”

He nodded, getting up, but Rose quickly stopped him.

“Don't think that distracted me, answer the second question first.”

He sighed, dropping back down again and nursing his mug of tea. “Well ... Why did you hate Mrs Gail?”

Rose snorted with laughter. “God, I don't think I ever hated her, I was too busy bein' terrified. She was so scary, if we were late she'd scream at us in front of everyone then send us to stand outside even if it was torrential rain. If we handed in our homework late or even if we had one spellin' error or anythin' like that she'd rip it up and make us do it again over lunchtime. We were all so scared of her. She was really old, had this walking stick we all swore blind she would hit kids with who got into detention with her. There was this story that one time this kid in Year 10 got an after-school detention with her and he never came back to school ever again. We just did whatever she said because we were all too scared not to.” She looked at him, and then as she realised, her face dropped. “... Oh.”

“Yeah,” the Doctor muttered.

Rose looked at him sadly, taking his hand. She understood his feelings completely now. “... Can I see our stuff?”

He nodded, obviously happy that she hadn't dwelled on it. He got up, pulling her towards the door.

* * *

 

“Oh my god!” Rose squeaked upon sight of the storage room, flooded with boxes. “Is this  _ all _ ours?”

He nodded. “I missed a few things but I got most of it.”

He watched with a grin as she ran over to the nearest box marked  **Bedroom 2-1** and instantly ripped it open like a kid attacking a Christmas present, before diving inside and pulling out a Barbie doll in a long pink dress, looking slightly tattered.

“Oh wow!” she squeaked, staring at it. “Granddad gave me this when I was four.” She reached in an pulled out an Action Man doll. “And Mum got me this when I was five because I didn't like Barbie.”

The Doctor grinned and took another box marked  **Bedroom 2-2** , pulling out a handful of old schoolbooks which he began to flick through.

“Oh my god, my Dizzy Dinosaur board game!” was Rose's next cry, holding up the board game to the Doctor for him to see. “I think I lost the pieces, though ... Wait a second, what are you doin'?”

He grinned up at her, settling on a page in one of her schoolbooks and began to read it out. “At the weekend Mummy took me to the zoo and I saw tigers and lions and zebras and elephants and rhino-ser-riz and monkeys and it was funny because they were silly and put their fingers up their noses ...”

“Doctor!” she cried, going completely red as she scrambled over to him, trying to grab it out of his hands but he quickly dodged her and laughed.

“Wait, wait! It gets better,” the Doctor insisted, beginning to read again. “Then we went home and Mummy got pizza and we watched Noel's House Party and it was funny because the man got gooed and I laughed and spat out my pizza and also Mr Blobby is funny because he looks funny...”

“Doctor!” she moaned, still utterly red and trying to grab the book but he held her back, still holding it away from her.

“Then Mummy let me stay up to watch Cas-sol-ty and it was in-tres-ding and then I went to bed.”

“You finished?” Rose wondered seriously, diving for the book again.

“No, wait!” the Doctor said, holding up his hand. “Teacher's comments ... Sounds like you had a really interesting weekend, Rose! Tick and smiley face. Oh, I  _ love  _ the smiley face.”

She finally snatched it out of his hands. “Thank you!” she said sarcastically, throwing it over her shoulder, shoving the books back into the box and moving it away from him before going back to her own box, drawing out the next item. A black hoody.

She froze.

The Doctor looked at her. “Rose?”

“This was Jimmy's ...” she muttered.

The Doctor's eyes widened instantly, scrambling over to her on all fours and taking the hoody out of her hand, throwing it behind them. “It's all right,” he said quickly, taking her into a tight embrace.

“He's out of prison, now ...” she realised in a croak.

“It's all right,” the Doctor repeated, kissing her. “He's got no idea where you are, and if he did then he's gotta get past me first.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly into his chest.

“You're welcome,” he replied with a winning smile.

After a moment she drew back from him, looking him up and down. “Oh, he could so beat you up,” she giggled. “He's big and muscly and you're ...”

“Very, very clever?” the Doctor finished for himself, still smiling. “I'll just tell him I'm an alien and I can suck out his brain through a straw,” he continued casually. “Not that there'll be much of a brain to suck out, but you know.”

She giggled again and kissed him. “You know, you always go on about how I mended you from the Time War, but I think you mended me too.”

“I'm glad.”

“Do you think we'll ever get bored of each other?”

The Doctor snorted with laughter. “What d'you mean exactly?”

“I always said when we were travellin' I was gonna stay with you forever. What if we end up like one of those old married couples that hate each other and are only stayin' together for the kids?”

He laughed again. “I don't really see that happening. When I first ... When I first told you about how I felt, I didn't at all picture marriage and kids and changing nappies and going to friend's weddings and stuff ... I was happy with it just being us, talking like we are now, all day, every day, saving a couple of planets whenever we felt like it. I just wanted to be able to express my feelings to you on a level that really wasn't anything to do with lust ... I was just busy caring about you so much. I never really wanted sex, you know I don't really have those feelings very often because that's just the way I am ... That's just something I do for you because I know it makes you happy. I know how you want me to act and I do that with pleasure. Now we've got Leah and Alex and they've been this beautiful bonus that's only made me happier, really. Yes, I've been so humanised during this process that my Ninth self would probably be throwing up into a bucket right now if he could see me but ... I'm happy with myself. I'm happy with you. I'm happy with our kids. I'm just happy. The happiest I've been for a really long time.”

She looked at him, smiling. “You're really sweet sometimes, you know?”

“Sometimes?” the Doctor scoffed. “I could be really sweet all the time if I wanted. Sweet and romantic and all-round perfect.”

She giggled. 

His eyes widened. “What?”

“Yeah, you're sweet sometimes but you're not very romantic.”

“I'm always romantic!” he insisted with a mock frown.

“Name one romantic thing you've done for me in the past week.”

The Doctor frowned, thinking. “I ... umm ... What about Thursday night? You know, after dinner?”

“Doctor, letting me have your last Rolo is not romance,” she said as seriously as she could, trying not to giggle at his put-on expression.

“Is too!”

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

“Is not!” Rose said loudly and clamped her hand over his mouth so he couldn't reply. He rolled his eyes and pulled it from his mouth, grinning at her before leaning forward to kiss her.

The kiss lingered for a moment, before he drew back and took her hand, looking down at her fingers and running a thumb over each and every one.

He finally looked up at her. “... Let's get married.”

She blinked, staring at him. He wasn't joking. “What?”

“Let's get married,” he repeated seriously. 

“But I thought marriage was stupid and human and a well-rehearsed play with stupid outfits and the whole thing means nothing?”

“I've changed my mind,” the Doctor said quickly. “Let's get married. Let's do it now.”

“Now?” Rose repeated disbelievingly. “We can't get everyone here and everything ready  _ now ...” _

“No,” the Doctor said. “Just us. You and me. No one else.”

She frowned. “You do know how a wedding works, right?”

“Sure,” the Doctor replied, grinning. “I'm just electing to do it originally. Just you and me, getting married at the Tardis altar right now, no guests, no stupid outfits, no boring songs, just us as we are right now.”

Rose looked at him again for a long moment, considering. Then her face broadened into a smile as she nodded. “... Okay.”

He grinned and got up, pulling her to her feet to make out the door.

“Wait!” she suddenly said.

“What?”

“Have we got rings?”

The Doctor frowned for a moment, then let go of her hand to rummage through his pockets. He drew out a packet of Haribo and quickly found two gummy rings, putting one in her hand. “That okay?” he asked.

She just shrugged and grinned. “Fine by me. But let's at least have one custom.”

“Which one?”

“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.”

The Doctor pursed his lips. “Well, the TARDIS is timey wimey so she's both old and new, I borrowed her and she's blue.”

She laughed. “You're so resourceful.”

“Yes, I am ... Frequently,” the Doctor replied with a charming smile, taking her hand again to run out of the door to get married.

 


	10. CAKE OR BISCUIT?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor becomes ill from the TARDIS, and Rose wonders more about his father.

When Rose woke up the next morning, she found her now wedded husband lying sprawled out over her across three-quarters of the bed with nearly all the cover, quietly asleep. She sighed and shoved him over with a push, sending him flopping onto his back and becoming even more entangled in the covers. She tried salvaging what she could of the cover but it wasn't budging, so she resigned and moved to the middle, wrapping her arm around him.

Then she frowned slightly.

She opened her eyes and straightened up, looking down at him. His face was flushed red, his forehead sweaty ...

“Oh god,” she muttered, a very deep panic beginning to rise slowly within her ... “No, no, no! Doctor, Doctor wake up ...”

His brow furrowed, eyes slowly opening to met her gaze through slits.

“Talk to me,” she urged.

“What?” he murmured quietly.

“You're feverish and sweaty ...”

“And veeery sleepy,” he completed, turning back over and closing his eyes.

She shook him again. “No, Doctor, you don't understand ... When this happens ... Nine months later we get a baby.”

That _really_ made him wake up, eyes snapping open and fixing on her.

“How do you feel?” she asked anxiously.

“Umm, sleepy, feverish, headache, weak ...” he said quickly. “What do I normally do at the start?”

“Throw up and then faint ...” Rose told him. “Do you feel sick? Faint?”

“A little faint ...” he muttered, his eyes widening even further.

“Infirmary, now,” Rose ordered, quickly out of bed and dragging him onto his feet and out the door.

* * *

 

“Oh god, what are we gonna do if it's another baby?” Rose squeaked as they waited for the results to pop out of the scanner. It seemed as though it was taking hours, and she and the Doctor were just sat there staring at it fidgeting anxiously.

“Well my first question would be _how,”_ the Doctor said, staring at her. “I'm infertile now, I can't even make you pregnant anymore ...”

“Maybe you healed yourself?” Rose croaked quietly, staring at him.

The Doctor swallowed. “Just ... don't say things like that ...”

The paper buzzed out of the machine and he quickly grabbed it, looking over the contents. He beamed.

“Not pregnant!” he yelled in delight.

“Thank God,” Rose breathed, taking the paper to look for herself just to confirm it with her own eyes, before looking up at him. “Then ... What's wrong with you?”

“I don't know, but I've got a welly of a headache.”

“Get yourself scanned,” Rose told him. “I'll get breakfast.”

* * *

 

“What's the diagnosis?” Rose asked when she returned with a stack of toast and two cups of tea.

“I'm not the one that's ill, I don't think,” the Doctor said, tapping at a keyboard. “Every time I try to scan myself the Tardis gets a power black-out because she can't get the strength ...”

“... The Tardis is ill?” Rose asked, sitting down next to him. “That can happen?”

“I've only heard about it, it's extremely rare, but it _can_ happen. She _is_ a living thing so occasionally she can become ill. And since I'm linked to her in such a powerful way I'm having a bit of a knock-on effect.”

“So what do we do?”

“Can't really do anything except letting her rest. No outings or trips until she's better.”

Rose nodded. “Better tell Jack we can't do our taxi service,” she said.

He nodded in return, taking a piece of toast just as the infirmary door opened.

“Oh, here you are!” Penelope said, Ulysses following on behind her. She frowned at the sight of them sitting half-dressed by the scanner. “What is it?”

“The Tardis is ill,” the Doctor replied. “I'm getting the knock-on effect.”

“Oh, dear,” Penelope said sadly, moving to him. “How do you feel?”

The Doctor shrugged nonchalantly. “A bit hot and headache-y, but fine,” he replied, gobbling down his toast before taking another piece.

“If there's anything you need,” Penelope said, hand instantly snapping to his forehead from a temperature check.

“Mum, I'm fine,” he insisted, draining his entire cup of tea in one gulp.

“Nonsense, you need rest and plenty of fluids,” Penelope told him. “Go back to bed now, since you're not even properly dressed yet and showing the world and Rassilon all you have.”

“Mum!” the Doctor yelped like a teenage boy, hunching over to cover his boxer shorts.

“Theta!” Penelope continued sternly. The Doctor glanced at Rose, who giggled at his expense. “Go on!” Penelope insisted, shooing him with her hands.

He sighed, getting to his feet and making to the door, but not before Ulysses raised a hand to stop him.

“Theta, a word,” he said. It wasn't a proposal. It was a demand. Then without waiting for a reply he quickly stuck out his hand. The Doctor flinched at the sudden movement again as his father took his arm and pulled him forcefully out of the door into the corridor.

“Do not think for _one moment_ that I am forgiving you,” Ulysses grated. “If I had it my way they would be strapping you into the Oubliette Of Eternity for execution right now. But since the situation is as it is and your mother seems to want me to tolerate you, I will make the effort – if _you_ make the effort. Is that understood?”

The Doctor swallowed nervously, his hearts racing. He thought about telling his father about the burning in the pit of his stomach every time he saw him, or about how much he didn't like him. He thought about telling him that this was his TARDIS and he should get the hell out, or even about telling him to shove it. But eventually he rested on:

“Yes, Father.”

“Good boy,” Ulysses said simply, then turned and left. The Doctor remained absolutely rigid, controlling his breathing until Ulysses footsteps had faded away into nothing, and he finally felt safe to move.

* * *

Rose had been watching through the Infirmary door at the Doctor and his father's confrontation. Although it had been soundless, she got the meaning of it very clearly from their facial expressions alone. Even after Ulysses had gone the Doctor just stood there rigid for about a minute afterwards before leaving.

She realised Penelope was looking at her, so she turned and was about to ask a question when Penelope jumped in first.

“Him and his father have never seen eye-to-eye,” she said simply.

“The Doctor's terrified of him ...”

“Ulysses has always been very strict with Irving and Theta.”

Rose sighed, just thinking about this for a moment before she looked up again. “It's just ... Why does the Doctor flinch every time Ulysses moves close to him? Cos in my books that only means one thing, and if it's true then I'm not sure I'm comfortable with him bein' in our home.”

“Rose,” Penelope began gently. “I know this is a very big ask, but I would request that you do not make assumptions of that calibre. Ulysses and I may have very different ideas on raising our children, but I know my husband. He would never even _consider_ laying a finger on Theta. Yes, he has always been very strict with them but he is not a bad man, please trust me.”

“What about after the prank?” Rose wondered.

Penelope's eyes instantly welled up on the mere mention of the incident. “In Gallifreyan society it was commonplace to discipline the loomlings and juniors in manners your society considers abusive, but Ulysses and I were very adamant we would not raise Irving and Theta that way. In that case, the Chancellory Guard and High Council took precedence over the matter. It was completely out of our control.”

“But you know he didn't do it, yeah?”

Penelope nodded. “I knew, but Theta would never tell us what really happened, and I could not exactly seek a reprieve from the High Council with just my feelings as his mother. Has he said to you what happened?”

“He was protectin' his friend by taking the blame instead of him,” Rose told her.

“Koschei?” Penelope wondered. Rose nodded. “I am not surprised. Theta's loyalty has always been his greatest strength ... and his greatest weakness. Use it well, Rose.”

Rose nodded. “... Sorry for jumpin' to conclusions about your husband.”

“That's quite all right,” Penelope assured her. “He may come across that way, but that is not who my husband is, it is probably difficult for you to see that and I can understand why. I do not know why Theta flinches, but I am certain it is not to do with Ulysses ever harming him. Now perhaps you should go and talk to Jack? I will make sure Leah and Alex are happy.”

“Thank you,” Rose replied, and then left without another word.

* * *

 

To her utmost surprise, when Rose entered the Hub from the TARDIS she found it full to the brim of tens of happy-looking aliens. Ianto was currently serving snacks, and the second Jack saw Rose he swam his way through the crowd to meet her at the TARDIS door.

“Where the hell have you been?!” he wanted to know. “The Tardis wouldn't let me in and you weren't answering your phone!”

Rose stared at the crowd of aliens, and looked back up at Jack. “Umm ...”

“Gee, thankzz Mr Harknezz!” a random alien man buzzed from next to them, holding up his cup of tea and complementary Jaffa Cake. “Thizz izz called 'tea', yezz? Tazztes nizze!”

“I just don't understand!!! Is this a biscuit or a cake?!” another voice came from the other side, an alien woman staring at the Jaffa Cake on the verge of hysteria. “It defies the laws of cake yet does not class itself as a biscuit!!!”

“Maybe talk inside?” Rose wondered, stepping inside the TARDIS and pulling Jack over the threshold, closing the door. “Look, we've got a problem.”

“ _You've_ got a problem?” Jack said somewhat sarcastically. “Mickey's already out on a third Jaffa Cake and teabag run, Martha's getting some more mugs and Gwen's getting repetitive strain injury from stirring tea. We deal with aliens, not catering! Where the hell is the Doctor?”

“Jack,” Rose began calmly. “The TARDIS is ill, and that's made the Doctor ill. We can't strain her while she's sick so we can't take her anywhere.”

Jack stared at her. “You are kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding.”

“I'm sorry, Jack, but the Doctor's in bed and the Tardis can't move – we can't help you. You'll just have to think of somethin', yeah?”

Jack sighed, then a thought crossed his mind. “Hey ... How big is Sarah's house?”

“Jack, you are not loadin' them onto Sarah,” Rose said, struggling not to laugh. “I'm sure you'll think of somethin'.”

“Easy for you to say,” Jack muttered. “But the Tardis is okay, right?”

Rose shrugged. “Think so, the Doctor wasn't that worried.”

Jack nodded. “Good. But if he wants me to check her ...”

“I'll yell,” Rose assured him.

Suddenly there came a strained yell of, “Rose!” from somewhere in the depths of the TARDIS, and Rose gave an apologetic shrug.

“Back to my tea and Jaffa Cakes,” Jack supposed with a small sigh, and left.


	11. Pizza With Cheesy Crust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose arranges a visit to her mum’s with the Doctor’s parents.

“How are you?” Rose wondered a few hours later as she brought the Doctor a mid-afternoon snack in bed.

“I'm fine!” the Doctor insisted. “This is so unnecessary.”

Rose grinned. “Well, you'd better stay here cos I'm not crossin' your mum when it comes to you.”

He rolled his eyes, taking one half of the sandwich and demolishing it in two bites. “I'm so bored. I should fix the TV in here.”

Rose blinked. “We have a TV in here?”

“Yeah, I put it in a while ago. Doesn't work though.”

“Fix it,” Rose ordered instantly.

He looked at her, hand reaching down for the other half of the sandwich. “Does this mean I can get out of bed?”

“Fix it when you're better,” she amended with a grin.

He sighed, and began work on the sandwich. She stared at him for a moment, just observing him as he gobbled it down it as quick as the first.

“Thanks,” he said through a mouthful of sandwich. Then he realised she was staring at him. “What?”

She decided to just come straight out with it. “Don't s'pose you want to talk about your dad?”

“Not really.”

She just raised a smile at this. “Well, can't blame me for tryin'. When you're ready, yeah?”

But before he could reply, her phone rang. She rummaged in her pocket and brought it out.

**Mum calling**

She accepted it and held it to her ear, the Doctor staring at her enquiringly. 

“Hi, Mum!” she said pointedly. The Doctor groaned and flopped back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. She giggled at him, and then directed her attention to the phone again. “Sorry, what did you say? … Yeah, of course we were going to come and see you and Tony soon ...”

The Doctor groaned again.

“No, Mum, we've just been busy ... No, Alex is fine ... Yeah, he's a lot better ... Well, we've just had a bit of a weird week ... The Doctor's mum and dad have turned up ... Yes, he does have parents ... No, they aren't green ... Yeah, his mum's really nice, his dad's a bit severe, though ... Sure, we'll bring them along ...”

The Doctor shot up to sitting position, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Umm ... Lemme ask the Doctor,” she said, and looked at him. “When can we go and see my mum?”

“Did you just invite my parents along to Jackie's?!” he asked in a terrified croak.

“He says how about tomorrow?” she said, completely ignoring him. “Yeah, he  _ really  _ wants to see you ... He  _ is  _ ill, actually ... Oh, you can't catch it.. Mum, it's fine! It's the Tardis, she's sick and that's affectin’ him ... No, Mum, it's not contagious! Look, we'll see you tomorrow, yeah? About ... What? Tonight? Let me ask the Doctor ...” She looked at him again. “D’you wanna go tonight?”

“You know what, maybe I  _ am  _ really ill,” the Doctor replied in a groan, hand on his forehead. “Oh, I'm so feverish. I feel really sick. I'm going to throw up, Rose! I can't feel my legs anymore! I'm so weak! My eyes! I'm blind! I'm  _ BLIND! _ I think I'm hallucinating ...” He reached out to an imaginary object just in front of him with a dazed expression. “Oh, I can see the light ...!”

She sighed despairingly and looked away from him. “Yeah, he says tonight's fine.”

“Rose!” the Doctor wailed. 

“See you about five? ... Yeah, we'll have pizza ... Domino's is fine, Mum ... I don't know if they're vegetarian! … Mum, they’re aliens, not bloody pandas ... It sounds fine ... I don't care about a cheesy crust, Mum ... Okay, yes, get the ones with the cheesy crust ... Okay, bye Mum! ... No, Mum ... Mum ... Mum ... Mum, shut up ... Mum ... Oh, hello, Alex! Of course you can have Mummy's attention now!” 

The Doctor watched her staring at an imaginary Alex in front of her, raising an eyebrow.

“Look, Mum, Alex wants me ... Yeah, bye!” she finished, and hung up.

“You lied, you liar!” the Doctor surmised happily, pointing at her.

She stuck out her tongue. “Can you still see the light?”

He grinned back as she shoved her phone into her pocket.

“Mum's tonight at five,” she said, leaning forward to kiss him. “Your parents are comin' and we're havin' pizza with cheesy crust.”

“Delightful,” the Doctor said with a sigh.

“Come on, you wanted a reason to get up, didn't you?”

“This is so domestic,” the Doctor moaned.

“You live with your parents, you're married with two children and  _ technically _ you have a job as a taxi driver,” Rose pointed out.

“I have two alien parents who have returned from the dead, I'm married by gummy rings with two highly intelligent alien children ... and I prefer the term 'liberator',” the Doctor said lamely.

Rose just giggled, getting out some clothes for him.

Suddenly the door crashed open and Leah came running in with her arms flailing screaming, “Mummy Daddy!” before jumping up onto the bed and grabbing the Doctor around his middle.

“Leah,” he looked down at her, a little stunned by the surprise assault on his stomach. “What ...”

“It's Floppy!” she squealed. “Floppy's alive!”

“... What?”

“Floppy talked!” she screamed, still holding him tightly. “Daddy, Floppy's alive!”

The Doctor glanced at Rose, frowning slightly. “Err ... Well, what did she say?”

“She said hello Leah and I ran cause I was scared!”

“Well that doesn't sound scary to me,” the Doctor replied. “In fact, hello Leah sounds pretty nice. You've got yourself a nice stuffed rabbit that says hello.”

Leah stared at him with wide eyes. “But ...”

The Doctor kissed her forehead. “Go say hello, back. Go on. It's really rude that you just ran out screaming.”

She blinked slightly. “But ...”

“Go on,” the Doctor interrupted. “Go and say hello back.”

“... Okay,” Leah replied slowly, dropping down onto the floor and leaving.

Rose looked at him. “Aren't you gonna check?”

The Doctor grinned at her. “What film were we watching the other day?”

“Child's Play ...” Rose realised. “You reckon she saw a bit?”

“We  _ were _ a little busy,” the Doctor pointed out. “And remember when we watched the Narnia one and we kept finding her sitting in all the wardrobes with a blanket around her wherever we went for about three weeks?”

“Good point,” Rose conceded. “And 101 Dalmatians when she covered herself in soot ...”

“And we're never watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers ever again,” the Doctor completed.

“That was only because you told her that the body snatchers were real and it was about their spawnin' time,” she pointed out.

He grinned. “Yeah, it is, actually. Every 50 years.”

She sighed in mock despair, dumping his clothes on the bed. “Get up and get dressed.”

* * *

 

It was only ten to five but it was already extremely dark as the entire crowd made their way to Jackie's flat. 

“And this is Rose's mother and brother, yes?” Penelope asked the Doctor.

“Yep,” the Doctor replied, pushing Alex's pram. “Just going to say hi, let her see Leah and Alex, have some food, you know.”

“You eat rather a lot, don't you?” Ulysses said suddenly, looking at the Doctor slightly cynically.

The Doctor fell silent, but Rose frowned.

“Yeah, we find it helps us keep alive, you know?” she replied, a little sarcastically.

Ulysses raised an eyebrow, but quietened all the same.

“Are we having pizza?” Leah wondered, clutching Rose's hand and looking up at her.

“Yep,” Rose replied. 

“Is Tony gonna be there?”

“Yep.”

“Oh.”

“I know he's a little bit tedious but you know, putting up with annoyin' boys is what we Tylers do,” Rose replied, grinning.

“Hey!” the Doctor protested as they reached the main road to cross to the flats.

“Is Floppy still talkin' to you?” Rose wondered to Leah, ignoring her husband.

Leah nodded happily. “We talked about our favourite puddings and I was gonna bring her but she said she'd rather have a nap cos she was a little tired.”

The Doctor watched Rose as she nodded, as if that was perfectly justifiable before she checked the road. “So what's Floppy's favourite puddin'?”

He turned his attentions back to his mother when she suddenly spoke up in a nervous voice, “oh, I do hope she likes me.”

“Mum, she'll like you,” the Doctor assured her seriously. “Stop worrying.”

“But I'm a worrier!” she insisted, smiling. “How are you feeling?” She pulled him to a stop and checked his forehead with her hand.

“Mum, really, I'm fine,” he told her.

“You feel a little hot,” she observed.

“Look, I'm just a bit feverish and got a tiny headache, honestly, I'm ...”

He suddenly was interrupted by the sound of screeching brakes, shattering the background noise of cars and people. His head snapped up and he instantly caught sight of a car absolutely careering down the street, the man at the wheel panicked, Rose and Leah in the middle of crossing the road ...

In a flash he dived out and reached to grab them. He managed to get a hold of Leah and he yanked her out of the car's path, falling backwards onto the concrete. There was a small 'thunk' underneath the screeching as the car swerved all over the road until it careered onto the pavement, narrowly missing several pedestrians before ploughing straight into the shop front of a closed takeaway, setting off the alarm.

Everyone on the street froze and gasped, poking each other’s shoulders and pointing. And with good reason. Because as the Doctor could see, lying in the middle of the road, was his bonded partner, not moving an inch.

 


	12. What Floppy Really Thinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rose in hospital, the Doctor faces his first night without her for a year, as Leah’s toys come to life.

“Jackie, no, Jackie, listen ... Jackie ... JACKIE!” the Doctor yelled down the phone in the quiet hospital ward. A nurse glared at him and he smiled apologetically before turning his attention back to the phone where a thoroughly hysterical Jackie was screaming at him. “Jackie, calm down. She's fine, it only caught her in the side ... Jackie, Jackie, listen to me ... No, don't come here now ... Look, she's a bit bruised, cut and scraped, got a concussion, a fractured arm and a sprained ankle, it's nothing very serious ... Of  _ course _ I care! ... Jackie ...  _ Jackie ...  _ Shut up! If she wasn't fine I'd tell you ... They're keeping her in overnight for observation ... Leah and Alex are fine! And don't come down here, visiting hours are nearly up ... Look, I'll phone you tomorrow, all right? ... I'm hanging up now ... Bye!”

He hung up with Jackie in mid-sentence, and caught the nurse's gaze again.

“Sorry,” he said with a shrug. “Mother-in-Law.”

This seemed to satisfy her, so he grinned and picked up the phone again, dialling for Torchwood.

“Oh hi, Mickey, it's me ... Yeah, can you get Jack? ... It's  _ pretty _ important ... Yeah, I'll wait.”

He clicked his tongue and rapped his fingers on the table. The nurse glared at him again. He stopped doing it.

“Jack, it's me, look ... Jack, please don't talk to me about this right now ... Look, just shove them in a cupboard or something ... Jack, something's happened ... I'm in the hospita l... No, I'm fine, it's Rose, she's been hit by a car ... Don't worry, she's okay, just minor things, but they're keeping her in overnight ... No, don't come here, I need you to get my parents ... Probably lost in Cardiff somewhere if they haven't reached you by now to be honest ... My mum can put Alex to bed but can you deal look after Leah? Tell her Rose is fine and I'll be back to talk to her in a while, keep her occupied ... Yeah, I'll phone you ... Honestly, it's fine ... Thanks, Jack, bye.”

He hung up. The nurse was staring at him again. 

“What?” he asked seriously, and she looked away. He rolled his eyes and jogged quietly down the ward to the bed at the end where Rose was. He took a seat beside the bed, just gazing at her face for a few moments.

As if she sensed his presence, she suddenly opened her eyes, that moved around the ceiling for a moment before resting on him.

“Morning ... No wait, it's evening,” the Doctor corrected, grinning down at her.

Rose took a few moments to process where she was and what was going on. “... What happened to me?”

“You were hit by a car,” the Doctor said gently. “You've fractured your arm, sprained your ankle and you've got a bit of a bang on the head but you'll be fine.”

“... I got hit by a car?” Rose repeated in disbelief. 

“The car’s brakes stopped working, he swerved, caught you and crashed into a takeaway.”

“Is he okay?” Rose asked anxiously.

The Doctor smiled that her concern was primarily for someone she didn't even know. “He's okay, got a bit of whiplash. He got you these.” He picked up a box of chocolates from the bedside table next to a bottle of wine, and held them out, his smile turning sheepish. She quickly realised why as she opened the box with her working arm and found half of them were missing.

“Sorry,” he said. “Got a bit peckish.”

She laughed and reached up to him for a kiss and a hug. “You taste like milk chocolate hazelnut with caramel,” she noted.

“Good palette,” the Doctor replied, laughing and picking out a strawberry delight, unwrapping it and slipping it into her mouth.

“Thank you,” she said, chewing and swallowing. “God, I can't believe I was hit by a car. I don't remember at all.”

“Well, we did have this exact conversation about twenty minutes ago,” the Doctor said, still grinning.

“Oh? Sorry.”

“Don't worry, that'll clear up. It was all very quick, though,” the Doctor replied, picking out a toffee finger for himself and chewing on it. “I was talking to my mum, you walked out with Leah to cross the road, I saw the car coming, I dived forward to grab Leah, pulled her out the way and the next thing I heard was ... the impact. I looked up and you were lying on the road. A bystander called an ambulance, I gave you and the driver first aid, the ambulance got there, I hitched a ride and my parents are taking Leah and Alex home. And before you ask, I called Jack, my mum is putting Alex to bed and Jack's going to look after Leah.”

Rose took this in, then her eyes widened. “Oh my God, is Leah okay? She saw me get ...”

“I told Jack to tell her you were fine and I'll talk to her when I get back. I'll talk to Alex too. But let's face it, Leah's seen a lot worse. Hmm,” he suddenly paused, looking at his toffee finger with a frown. “I don't think I like toffee. That's all yours.” He fed her the rest of the stick.

She quickly chewed and swallowed. “What about Mum?”

“I just phoned her, she went a bit mental, but I think I finally got through to her that you're not on your deathbed.”

She smiled. “You're very calm,” she noted.

“I am now,” the Doctor said seriously. “That was the most terrifying moment of my life, seeing you lying on the road covered in blood ... I panicked. Please don't do that again, you humans only have one life and I'd like to have yours,” he joked.

She just smiled at that, taking his hand and contentedly leaning back on the bed. “Did your dad used to abuse you?” she suddenly asked.

The Doctor froze, staring at her. “Umm, what?”

“It's been buggin' me. Why d'you flinch?”

“Rose ...”

“Doctor.”

He looked at her, and sighed. “No, he's never abused me.”

“They why d'you flinch?”

“I ... I know it's pathetic. But I just ... I just feel like he could. I just can't help it. It's the way it's always been.”

“You're scared of him, yeah?”

“That's only part of it,” the Doctor muttered. “He's just ... Well, I was a constant disappointment for him. I broke rules and abandoned my duties, turned into a renegade, was disowned by my House ... I've made him pretty angry over the years. And if he's putting my brother over me then that's really not a good thing.”

“So, what?”

“I ... I just want him to see me differently.”

“Make him proud?”

“... I suppose. But I think that's a bit out of reach now. So maybe if I could ... just make him happy for a while. I don't think I've seen him smile since I was a loomling. At least, not because of me.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I'd never even thought about this before the Time War. But during the War, when the Daleks were killing everyone around me, when I was crouching in a muddy ditch with shots flying everywhere ... When I realised I had to create the Moment and end it. I thought about my family more than I ever had before. How I never talked to my mum anymore, how I never  _ bothered _ to even  _ try _ and talk to my father.”

“So you wanna patch things up,” Rose surmised.

He thought about that, then nodded. “Yeah .... And get to know him, I guess. I think I've left it too late, though.”

“It's never too late.”

“He resents me. This is ... This has just gone on for too long. He told me he'd hand me over for execution for what I've done. I can't fix this.”

“Don't be like that,” Rose said gently. “Just sit down with him, talk to him. Say you're sorry, yeah? It's worth a try.”

“I suppose,” the Doctor muttered, falling silent. There was a slight pause, before Rose suddenly looked at him, brow furrowing. 

“Sorry, what were we talkin' about?”

He paused for a few moments, then gave her a small smile. “Nothing, don't worry. You should get some sleep.”

“But what happened to me?” she asked, confused. “Was I in an accident?”

He leant forward to kiss her. “Yeah.”

“But what happened?”

“You were hit by a car,” he told her for the third time as his phone buzzed. He checked it.

**I’m outside J**

“What?”

“Don't worry, you'll be okay. Fractured arm and sprained ankle, but you've got a concussion so some lovely nurses and doctors are going to look after you tonight to keep an eye. I need to go back to Leah and Alex.”

“Okay,” she murmured, closing her eyes. She didn't let go of his hand.

“Let go of my hand, then,” he said, trying to peel Rose's hand off of his. It wasn't shifting. 

“No, you're stayin'.” She'd obviously already decided.

“Visiting hours are nearly up ...”

“To hell with visitin' hours.”

“Rose ...”

“Oh, fine then,” she conceded, and let go of his hand. He got up and leant forward for another kiss, deeper and for longer this time. 

“Sleep well, I'll see you tomorrow,” he said after he'd pulled back.

“You'd better,” she replied, grinning.

He just grinned back, then left.

* * *

 

“And I said, well gosh! I am so sorry I took the last pain au chocolat! And she said, oh that's quite all right, I prefer crumpets! And I said ...”

“Floppy,” Leah interrupted.

“Yes?” Floppy asked, jolted out of her hilarious anecdote. “More tea?”

“No, I've got something to tell you ...”

“Hmm?” Floppy wondered, pouring herself more tea.

“Mummy, she got hit by a car ...”

“Oh, I'm so terribly sorry to hear that!” Floppy replied, furry paw over mouth. “How is she?”

“I dunno,” Leah conceded. “Uncle Jack went to get Daddy from the hospital ages ago ...”

“Well, I'm sure he'll return with good news!”

Leah bit her lip. “I'm scared, Floppy,” she admitted.

“Well, I'm sure everything will be all right,” Floppy assured her. “I do think you need some more tea!”

She topped up Leah's cup with more water.

“You do know this isn't tea, right?” Leah wondered, taking the cup and sipping at her water.

“It isn't?” Floppy wondered. “Well you always called it that when you played tea parties with us!”

“Well you can't have real tea because it's really hot.”

“Oh. Well what is this?” Floppy asked.

“Water.”

“Then I shall call it water from now on!” Floppy declared, then looked seriously at her. “I do think you need cheering up. I left something under the bed that might do the trick ... Hold on a tick!” she said, and dived under the bed.

Suddenly there was a knock at the bedroom door, and it opened slowly to reveal her daddy standing there, smiling.

“Hello,” he said, then regarded her sitting at the play table with plastic cups of water. “Not interrupting anything, am I?”

She got up and ran to him, hugging his leg tightly. “What's happened to Mummy?” she asked.

“Let go of my leg and we'll go to the kitchen, have some tea and I'll tell you.”

She nodded enthusiastically, reaching up to been taken into his arms, to which he obliged, and they left.

“Hmm? Are we going to have some tea?” Floppy wondered as she scrambled out from under the bed, but found no one.

* * *

 

“So really it's fine,” the Doctor told Leah as they drank tea and feasted on biscuits. “She's hurt her ankle and her arm, and she's hit her head. It's nothing very serious and she's not in any danger at all.”

Leah nodded silently.

“She's got what I had about a year ago, you know, concussion? Which means that she's temporarily become really forgetful. So you can say something to her and a few minutes later she'll forget it and ask you what you said. It should only last a little bit, but that means you have to be extra good and extra patient around her when she comes home tomorrow.”

Leah nodded again.

“What did you see earlier during the accident?”

“Nothing,” Leah told him.

“Nothing?” the Doctor repeated.

She shook her head. “You grabbed me then all I heard was alarms and when I looked up Granny picked me up.”

“Okay,” the Doctor said, nodding. “Good. So really, just don't worry, she's absolutely fine and she's coming home tomorrow. Do you want to ask me anything?”

She shook her head.

He smiled and nodded again. “Okay. Now I think we should both go to bed because it's been a very long day. Get changed, pick out a book and I'll come and read you to sleep.”

* * *

 

A few hours later the Doctor was alone in bed, staring at the ceiling. It had been the first time he'd slept without Rose next to him for nearly a year. 

It had been a very long time since the Shadow Proclamation, but it had taken them all that time to get over it. They may have all got out alive and he was now physically healed, but the emotional scars ran very deep. Leah had only stopped bed-wetting a few months ago, though her nightmares, although few and far in-between now, were always a presence. Not to mention the problems with Alex as a repercussion for what they did.

But he knew there was an inevitability that one day he would have to go back to the Shadow Proclamation. As proved by what had happened with the TARDIS, he couldn't just keep finding these stranded aliens and taking them home. There was no telling how many they had missed so far, or where those missing ones had gone. One day he would have to go back to the Proclamation and tell them to de-level Earth again to a level five. One day very soon, in all likelihood.

But he was trying not to think about that. He just wanted to go to sleep. But maybe because he'd got used to Rose next to him, maybe because of his constant stinging headache from the TARDIS, or maybe because he was thinking too much, he really couldn't sleep.

He sighed and turned over, seeing the TV in the corner. He'd fix that tomorrow for Rose.

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps from outside, and the door creaked ever so slightly open. Then Leah poked her head through, meeting his gaze with Floppy tucked under her arm.

She offered him a smile and climbed up onto the bed, crawling next to him and slipping under the covers.

“Floppy thought you might be lonely,” she told him, cuddling up under his arm.

“She's not wrong,” he muttered, looking at the girl. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” she said with a beaming smile, holding onto him and Floppy in equal measure as she closed her eyes. He kissed her, then closed his eyes too.


	13. Cuddly World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose recovers, and after Leah and Tony have an altercation, Floppy takes her to an impossible world.

“Well, this is weird,” Rose pointed out as the Doctor came into the bedroom carrying a tray of food for her and depositing it on the bedside table.

“What?” the Doctor asked, pulling up the covers over her to check she was comfortable.

“ _ You're  _ takin' care of  _ me,”  _ Rose pointed out. “Isn't it always the other way around?”

He grinned and kissed her. “Come on, eat up before you forget and I'll fix the TV.”

She nodded, consuming the sandwich as the Doctor moved over to the wall, tapped a small button and a wide-screen TV moved out. He climbed around behind it, whipping out his sonic and buzzing the sockets behind. After a few minutes of fumbling the picture sprang up to reveal Jeremy Kyle having a go at a chav.

“There,” the Doctor said, handing her the remote. “It gets most of the Universal channels, so there are about a million and five, so don't try and tell me there's nothing on.”

She giggled as she finished her sandwich. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he replied with a smile. “Right, no getting up for twenty four hours, Doctor's orders.”

She nodded with a grin, beginning to flick through the channels. “What d'you recommend?”

“Try the channel Uniflux,” he said. “It's full of sitcoms.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“Nah.”

“If you need anything just yell my name.”

“Will do,” Rose assured him, and he left.

* * *

 

The Doctor made towards the TARDIS console to run a diagnostic check to see if she'd recovered yet, though he was already assuming she hadn't from the way he was currently feeling. But no sooner had he reached the console did the door explode open and Jackie appeared, striding towards the Doctor with Tony a few paces behind her as always.

“Doctor!” she yelled.

“Jackie!” the Doctor exclaimed, and smiled as broadly as he could. “How are you?”

Jackie ignored his question. “Where the bloody hell is my daughter?!”

The Doctor glanced at Tony, who was just staring between the two adults looking slightly awkward.

“In our room,” he told her. “If you'd like a cup of tea or something ...”

She strolled right past him and into the depths of the TARDIS, a mother on a mission. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking at Tony again. 

“I dunno, I try and be polite, but I get nothing back,” he told the boy, smiling sheepishly. “You want something to eat?”

Tony looked at him, then nodded. 

“C'mon then,” the Doctor said, beckoning him towards the kitchen. 

When they arrived the Doctor found Leah sitting at the table still munching on her lunch, Floppy sitting on the table next to her. She caught sight of Tony, and instantly made a big show of ignoring him.

“C'mon, Leah,” the Doctor told her sternly, moving to the cupboard for some crisps. “Say hello to Tony.”

“Hello, Tony,” she mumbled reluctantly.

“Hello, Leah,” Tony mumbled back.

“Conversational, aren't we,” the Doctor said somewhat sarcastically as he opened the cupboard door, and was instantly met with the sight of Alex sitting in amongst the food with jam smeared all over his face. The instant he saw his father he giggled and reached up his arms to be taken.

The Doctor just rolled his eyes, getting very used to this by now before picking up his son and sitting him in the crook of one arm. He took a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar and gave them to Tony. Then he realised that Tony hadn't really met Alex yet.

“Tony, this is Alex, Alex, this is Tony,” he said, gesturing to each in turn. “Be nice to each other, I don't like people not being nice.”

“Hello, Alex,” Tony mumbled again.

Alex waved enthusiastically, his hand covered in jam. The Doctor just kissed his head where he wasn't covered with jam and made to the door.

“Going to clean him up and put him back to bed, remember, be nice you two,” he told them seriously, and left out the door.

Leah's and Tony's eyes connected. Tony pulled a face at Leah, who ignored him. Then he pulled another face, which Leah again ignored. Then Leah looked at Floppy sitting next to her and leant in to the rabbit. Then Leah giggled, looking at Tony and giggling some more.

Tony’s eyes narrowed. “What are you laughin' about?!” he demanded to know, stomping forwards.

Leah simply took Floppy in one hand, jumping off of the chair. “Excuse me,” she said, and went for the door. But Tony darted out instantly, blocking her way. “Could you please move?” Leah asked politely.

“No!” Tony yelled as he dived forward and grabbed Floppy, holding her up in triumph. “Yeah, got your dumb rabbit!” 

“Give her back, Tony!” Leah demanded, absolutely panicking as she tried to get to him, reaching up desperately to Floppy but she was too short.

“Baby, baby! Playin' with toys!” he mocked, and with that, he took Floppy's head in one hand, her body in the other, and ripped the rabbit clean in two.

The howl that erupted from Leah tore like a cheese grater from her throat, a scream of utter anguish and heartbreak as tears instantly erupted from the corners of her eyes.

“NO!” she screamed and dived forward, fists flying to try and hurt Tony, punching him repeatedly with tears now streaming down her face. 

The door burst open and the Doctor flew in instantly, eyes widening as he caught sight of what was happening.

“Leah!” he yelled, diving forward to grab the four-year-old, pulling her off of a very surprised-looking Tony. She continued to scream and flail in his arms, crying so hard it was breaking his hearts. “Leah, what ...”

Then he realised as Tony stood in front of him looking incredibly guilty, with Floppy lying in two pieces on the floor.

The Doctor swallowed, holding Leah as tightly as he could. “I think we need a word with your mum, Tony,” was he said, stooping to pick up the ripped rabbit.

“I didn't do it,” Tony told him instantly.

The Doctor didn't even bother to contemplate this, Leah crying and screaming in his arms, clinging onto him tightly. He just looked at Tony, eyebrows lowered. “Follow me, Tony,” he grated.

Tony moved to follow instantly, clearly knowing what he had done was very serious. The Doctor led him out of Leah's room with the girl still crying in his arms, taking Tony straight to where Jackie and Rose were chatting, pushing open the door.

“Jackie,” the Doctor began, interrupting the flow of conversation instantly with just the tone of his voice. “I think you need to have a word with your son.”

He held up the destroyed rabbit. Leah caught a glance of it, and wailed even louder. Rose's eyes widened as Jackie's face turned to utter fury.

“C'mere, Tony!” she yelled, moving forward and grabbing his collar, dragging him out of the room.

“Did he rip up Floppy?” Rose asked in a gasp.

The Doctor nodded. “Emergency first aid, please,” he told her, giving her Floppy before diverting his attention to Leah, who was still sobbing. “Don't cry, please stop crying,” he told her gently.

“What if she's dead?” Leah gasped between sobs.

“She's not dead, Mummy's going to fix her,” he assured her, placing her to sit down on the bed. She instantly curled up into a ball and continued to cry.

“But what if she's dead?!” she yelled this time, utterly distraught. He kissed her, holding her tightly.

“She's not dead, I promise,” he told her seriously. “Please don't cry, you're breaking my hearts.”

She looked up at him through teary eyes, still sobbing and gasping words through her tears. “Daddy, please, please, I don't want Floppy to be dead!”

“She's not dead,” the Doctor repeated patiently. “Mummy's going to fix her and she'll be absolutely fine, okay? Chin up,” he said, kissing her again.

She sniffed, now holding onto him in a death grip. He wasn't about to let go, just resigning to the situation and dropping to sit on the bed beside Rose, who was already in the midst of fixing Floppy, wincing as she worked with the stings of her broken arm.

“Do you want me to do that?” the Doctor asked her, noticing her pain. 

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “You've got no idea how.”

He had to concede. “Okay, fair point.”

“I'm fine, it's not bad,” Rose assured him.

He nodded in reply, just as the door opened and Jackie marched in, dragging Tony behind her.

“Have you got somethin' to say to Leah, Tony?!” Jackie demanded.

“I ... I ... umm ...” he began in a mutter, staring at the floor.

“Spit it out!” Jackie yelled.

“I'm sorry!” he squeaked.

“Sorry for what?” Jackie prompted.

“Sorry for rippin' up your rabbit,” Tony mumbled.

“Now say it like you mean it!” Jackie roared.

“I'm sorry for rippin' up your rabbit, Leah!” he burst out quickly.

“That's better,” Jackie said approvingly. “Don't think this is the end of it, neither!”

“I'm sorry I hit you, Tony,” Leah suddenly said in a mumble, surprising everyone in the room.

“Don't you go apologisin', Leah,” Jackie told her. “It's this one who enjoys makin' people miserable these days, and now he can go and stand outside the Tardis and wait until we're done.”

Tony was gone in an instant.

“And what are you doin' lettin' Rose do that?” Jackie asked the Doctor, looking at her daughter trying to sow back on a rabbit head with a fractured arm.

“Mum, I'm fine,” Rose assured her, but Jackie had already taken Floppy out of her hands.

“Rubbish, let me do that,” she told her, sitting on the end of the bed and setting to work. “God, I'm sorry about him, he's been a right little so-and-so lately.”

Rose nodded as Leah finally let go of the Doctor, and crawled over to hug her instead. “Most boys get like that at his age,” she supposed. “Except Alex, of course. He'll be perfect.”

They all laughed, and then the Doctor suddenly froze.

“Alex!” he realised, and ran out the door in a flash.

“And they get like  _ that _ at his age,” Rose completed, looking at Leah and smiling as she held her.

* * *

 

Leah was sitting back in her room twenty minutes later, staring at Floppy in her hands. Her gran had mended her, but Floppy hadn't talked to her since, just lying there limply. Leah was positive Tony had killed her and she'd never talk to her again ...

She sniffed slightly and sat Floppy against her pillow. She turned to get up and find her daddy, 

“Gosh, my neck feels a bit stiff!” a voice suddenly said from the bed at Leah turned back instantly, jaw agape. 

“Floppy!” she yelled in delight, grabbing the rabbit and hugging her tightly.

“Ooof. .. ahh ... Le ... Leah!” Floppy protested, before Leah finally relented her grip somewhat.

“I thought you were dead!” Leah told her.

“Cuddlies never die,” Floppy assured her. “Well, except for exceptional circumstances, of course.”

“I'm really sorry ... Did it hurt?”

“Cuddlies don't feel pain either!”

“Good,” Leah said happily, hugging her again. 

“Oof ...”

“Sorry!” Leah apologised again, sitting her down again.

“I remember that nasty boy,” Floppy began thoughtfully. “He threatened to rip me up before, didn't he?”

“Yeah ...” Leah replied quietly.

“Oh, don't be so miserable!” Floppy reprimanded her. “I think it's time I took you to Cuddly World.”

“Cuddly World?” Leah asked, frowning. “What's Cuddly World?”

If Floppy could've winked, she probably would have. “You'll have to wait and see! Hold on.”

And with that, she jumped off of the bed and onto the floor, walking over to the toy box, then dived inside.

There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Leah said happily.

Her daddy appeared, smiling at her. “You all right?” he asked.

Leah nodded, beaming. “Floppy's alive again!”

“Oh, good,” the Doctor replied, moving to the bed. “Mind if I take a seat?” he asked.

She shifted position to let him sit down next to her. He did so, facing her.

“Me, your mum and your gran have had a bit of a talk, and we've kind of sussed that you and Tony don't really get on. So from now on you really don't have to talk to him or be around him until he can be a lot more mature. How's that?”

Leah nodded happily, and dived forward to hug him. “Thank you,” she said.

“You're very welcome,” he told her. “Now d'you need anything before I leave?”

She shook her head.

“Okay,” he said, kissing her. “I'll yell when I get around to making some food.”

She nodded happily before he left out the door. She sighed contentedly and moved over to the toy box just as the lid lifted up and Floppy popped out.

“Come on!” Floppy said happily, took Leah's hand and pulled her inside the toy box. There was a very precise hiss, a clunk of machinery, and a flash of light. Leah was expecting to land rather awkwardly face first into the toys, but to her complete surprise she suddenly found herself falling forward through an abyss. She thought about being afraid at the fact she seemed to be falling at an incredibly fast speed into seemingly nowhere, but with Floppy holding her hand she knew that nothing bad was going to happen.

She landed with a springy bounce on something soft, and opened her eyes. Instantly she was met with the sight of a brand new world, bright, colourful and inviting. Above her was ... a very large Floppy.

Leah shrieked in surprise, and Floppy just giggled at her expense.

“You’re our size in Cuddly World,” Floppy explained.

Leah was beginning to think about shouting for her dad. This didn’t seem very normal. “Is this real?” Leah wondered seriously.

“Of course it is, silly!” Floppy reprimanded. “This is where we cuddlies go when we're not being being played with! This is the world inside your toy box.”

“Good afternoon, Leah!” Francine the bear said as she passed, waving at the girl.

“Hey, mate!” Dinny the dinosaur greeted.

“Oh, this is really weird,” Leah muttered. Then thought some more. “Wait till I tell Daddy!”

Instantly the entirety of Cuddly World seemed to fall completely silent in unison, looking at her with wide eyes. Leah blinked as Floppy leant in slightly. “No adult can know of Cuddly World, every time an adult discovers about Cuddly World, a cuddly  _ dies!”  _ she hissed.

“Oh,” Leah muttered. “Sorry.”

Then as quick as before, everyone stopped looking at Leah and resumed their business as though nothing had happened.

“Is this normal?” was Leah's next question. “I mean, do a lotta people like me visit Cuddly World?”

“Oh, gosh, no!” Floppy told her seriously. “Many of them are far too ... immature for us to be comfortable with them in Cuddly World. We have been watching you for some time Leah, we find you very special! Now come, let me show you around Cuddly World!”

And with that, Leah and the oversized Floppy linked arms, and strode happily down the brightly-coloured path to the intriguing new world beyond.


	14. The Mysterious Case of the Teleporting Monkey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martha and Mickey conceive of names for their baby, before the Doctor’s father says something the Doctor find he can’t ignore.

“We just came to tell you ... We've decided,” Martha began to the Doctor and Rose a few hours later, all gathered in their bedroom.

“Decided?” Rose echoed.

“On the baby,” Martha reiterated. 

“It's going to be Michelle if it's a girl, and Andrew if it's a boy!” Mickey told them excitedly.

Rose beamed. “Oh, I love those names!” she said excitedly. “I'm so happy for you both!”

She looked at the Doctor for his congratulations, but he was just staring at Mickey and Martha with his jaw agape. “... You've decided on names in  _ less  _ than a  _ week?” _

Martha laughed. “In one conversation, actually.”

“What's  _ wrong _ with you?” the Doctor asked seriously. 

“Not all of us are as indecisive as you,” Mickey pointed out.

“That's just ...” the Doctor began, still staring at them. “I mean ... What ... I mean ... How did ... That's just ...”

He trailed off, still struggling to form words.

“You've done it, you've made him speechless,” Rose told them seriously.

“End of the universe,” Martha supposed, laughing.

“Mind-blowing paradox,” Mickey continued.

“Implosion of the Earth!” Rose completed, digging her husband in the ribs.

The Doctor just looked between them, still in complete disbelief. Thankfully the silence was broken by the sudden explosion of tears from the next room and the Doctor was off in a shot.

He entered the nursery and almost tripped over the toddler standing at the door crying. Alex looked up at him with a toy in one hand and instantly the tears stopped, and he made the sign for hunger. The Doctor nodded, picking him up and taking him back into the bedroom, placing him on the bed.

Alex looked at for a moment before he looked at Martha and Mickey, then giggled and waved at them both.

“Oh, he's such a sweetheart,” Martha said happily, leaning forward to hug the boy who hugged her in return.

“Hello, Alex!” Mickey enthused next, wearing an expression the Doctor hadn't really seen before. “Say hello to your Uncle Mickey!”

Alex just stared up at him for a moment, and then reached up his arms for a hug. Mickey obliged, still beaming from ear to ear.

When all was done, Alex finally turned to Rose and made the sign for hunger again. The Doctor picked him up and placed him in Rose's lap, careful not to put any pressure on her arm as he supported Alex's weight.

“Our cue to leave,” Martha supposed, taking Mickey's hand and pulling him up. “See you two later.”

“Bye!” Rose said, and they left out the door. She looked at the Doctor. “I think Mickey's gonna be a good dad.”

The Doctor nodded at that as she let Alex get access to his food. For a moment they watched him feeding.

“When should we get him off of my milk?” Rose asked as he nursed.

“Not yet, he doesn't seem to have a very strong immune system, and your milk will help him now.”

She nodded, and they just watched until Alex finished. The Doctor lifted him off and sat him in his lap, pressing a kiss to his forehead. The Doctor picked up the small monkey Alex had brought with him and held it up for a moment, before pointing suddenly across the room.

“What's that, Alex?” he said. The boy looked and the Doctor instantly threw Monkey over his shoulder to Rose, who obediently hid it under the covers. Alex looked back at his father, and instantly became very confused at the fact Monkey wasn't in the Doctor's hand anymore.

“Hey, where'd Monkey go?” the Doctor asked Alex with a frown, looking around the room and holding up his hands. “Did you see where he went? He completely disappeared! How did he do that?”

Alex was looking very confused indeed, Rose sniggering at his expression.

“Alex, did you take him? Have you got him?” the Doctor asked the boy seriously.

Alex shook his head, still extremely confused.

Rose sneaked Monkey out from under the covers and placed him on the Doctor's left shoulder. Alex shrieked and pointed up at Monkey, laughing.

“What? Can you see him?” the Doctor asked, and deliberately looked at the wrong shoulder.

Alex laughed even more pointing at the other shoulder and bouncing on the bed in excitement. 

“What? The other shoulder?” the Doctor asked him, and Rose switched the monkey to his right shoulder. Alex laughed even harder as the Doctor deliberately looked in the wrong place.

“What? Alex, are you having me on?” the Doctor said pretending to be incredibly shocked. “You told me Monkey was there!”

Alex was laughing so hard he fell backwards on the bed, grabbing his toes and rocking back and forth. The Doctor and Rose were laughing now too, Alex's laughter incredibly catching. Rose grabbed Monkey again and hid it behind the Doctor.

“He's not on this shoulder either!” the Doctor exclaimed through laughing, looking at his right shoulder. Alex looking up momentarily at his dad before shrieking with laughing again. “Where is he, Alex?”

Rose gave Monkey back to the Doctor when Alex was too busy laughing notice, and the Time Lord put Monkey on his head.

“Alex? Alex!” the Doctor began, looking around. “Where's Monkey? Have you seen him again?”

Alex looked up again and saw Monkey sitting on his dad's head and burst into yet more laughter, tears falling from his eyes.

“Oh my god, stop,” Rose begged him and the Doctor laughed, taking the monkey off of his head and giving him back to Alex who was slowly beginning to come back to Earth. The Doctor took Alex in both hands and rolled back to lie on the bed, holding the boy above him.

“Ah, Daddy loves you, Alex,” the Doctor told him, bringing him down to lie on his chest, hugging him. “I don't care when you want to talk. You can take all the time in the universe.”

Alex just giggled again and stretched his arms out as far around the Doctor's chest as they'd go.

* * *

 

“Hello, Mum,” the Doctor began, strolling into the kitchen a couple of hours later. He saw her cooking, and frowned. “You don't have to do that, you don't even eat what you cook us half the time.”

“Oh, don't be so silly, Theta,” Penelope reprimanded. “Your family needs a lot more food than your father and I, besides, you're charging around being busy all day whilst I sit around doing nothing, I like to make myself useful!”

The Doctor offered her smile. “Thank you.”

“No thank you needed,” Penelope assured him. “It will be ready in twenty minutes.”

The Doctor nodded. “What is it?”

“Spaghetti bolognese, if I am reading this Earth cookbook correctly,” she joked, her smile lighting up her eyes. “If not, it'll be sludge!”

The Doctor nodded again, smiling. “You don't have to go to all this effort, Mum. Rose and Leah will eat Gallifreyan food as well if it's easier for you. The Tardis is well-stocked.”

“Oh no, I insist on learning,” Penelope told him. “Tomorrow I'm going to try something called steak and kidney pudding! I don't know what it is, and it sounds horrible, but I'll give it a go!”

The Doctor laughed at that, just as a cold wave of air seemed to wash over the Doctor and he turned to find his father stepping into the room, looking around.

“Theta, Penelope,” he acknowledged, not even looking at the Doctor.

“Father,” the Doctor muttered, eyes flickering to the door for an escape route, but his father was completely blocking it.

“What are you cooking, Penelope?” Ulysses wondered.

“Some Earth cuisine called spaghetti bolognese, I thought I could cook it for the others tonight,” Penelope told him, still focusing her attention on the cooker. “And who knows, maybe I'll give it a taste too!”

Ulysses nodded slowly, and without a word. He looked over at the Doctor, eyes instantly snapping to his. Piercing cold bullets of cynical regard. “You eat quite a lot, Theta.”

The Doctor swallowed, glancing at the exit again but it was still being blocked. “Humans eat more than us, Father.”

“You are a Gallifreyan, my boy, in case you forgot recently. A Time Lord. You do not need the same as a human.”

“I like to eat with my family,” the Doctor tried to sat boldly, but it came out as a mutter.

“You are overfeeding yourself. If you are not careful you will go the same way as Shemo.”

“I know, Father,” the Doctor croaked. “I'm sorry, Father.”

“Leave him alone, Ulysses,” Penelope suddenly ordered. “And the both of you get out of my kitchen, everything's going to be ready in a minute and I don't need you two here clogging up my space!” she said, looking at the Doctor and smiling.

He gave a small smile back, and with one look at his father he slipped out the door and practically ran back to Rose.

* * *

 

Leah finished dinner first, jumping off of her chair with bolognese all around her mouth. “Thank you, Granny! That was really nice!” she said, hugging Penelope.

Penelope smiled and hugged her in return. “You're very welcome.”

“Please may I go and play?” she asked eagerly.

“Of course, but wash your face first, you've been a bit messy,” Penelope told her.

“Okay!” Leah said, and was instantly off out the door.

“Bye, Leah,” Rose said pointlessly, looking at Penelope. They both laughed. Rose looked at the Doctor. He'd barely touched his food, having spent the whole of dinner just shifting it around on the plate with his fork.

“You not eatin' that?” Rose asked.

“I ... I think I'll pass,” the Doctor muttered, setting down the fork and pushing it away.

“That bad, was it?” Penelope asked, laughing.

“No, no, it was great, Mum. Thank you,” the Doctor said quickly. “I just ... I'm full.”

“Full?” Rose asked disbelievingly. “You're never full. There's no end to your stomach, I swear.”

“Sorry, I just ... I don't feel like eating.”

Rose was about to speak again when he quickly cut over the top of her. 

“Excuse me,” he said quickly, and left out the door as quick as he could.

Rose frowned, looking at Penelope. “Is he okay?”

Penelope sighed. “I think ... He may be listening to his father.”

“What did he say to him?”

“Overeating.”

Rose sighed. “Oh, not that again. That's ridiculous, so what if he eats more than a usual Time Lord, he's been fine for five years.”

“That may be so, but overeating is a very frowned upon subject with Gallifreyans, they did not regard it as the way you do. They treat it as highly shameful – as you would treat a murderer. The worst case scenario was someone Theta knew as a boy.”

“Who?”

“There was a Time Lord named Shemo, an associate of Ulysses and a highly respected member of society. He began to overeat, gaining a lot of weight until he finally had hearts failure and regenerated. But halfway through his regeneration he had a hearts attack and he turned into ... well ...” She paused, swallowing at a memory. “He was completely deformed, his skin was black, he had limbs in the wrong places and his internal organs became external organs. It was horrific. He was completely paralysed and unable to regenerate. When they linked him up to a mind reader all he was doing was screaming inside his mind. His House requested an assisted death from the High Council. They approved it.”

“They killed him?” Rose repeated in disbelief.

“Yes,” Penelope said solemnly. “Although it may puzzle you, Ulysses is only trying to look after Theta.”

Rose took this in, nodding slowly. “Okay. Jumpin' to conclusions again, aren't I?” she said, laughing. “Sorry, Ulysses is just ... Well ...”

“I know,” Penelope replied gently. “It's perfectly fine.”

Rose nodded again, then looked around at the plates. “Oh, my least favourite part. Cleanin’ up.”

“I will do it,” Penelope told her. “You should go back to bed.”

“I feel bad that you're doing all this,” Rose told her.

“It's perfectly fine, now go back to bed, Rose,” Penelope insisted, already gathering up the plates.

“I'll send the Doctor in to help you,” Rose assured her, grinning. Penelope laughed as Rose picked up her crutch and hobbled out the door.


	15. The Tweakin' Gene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing to not eat, the Doctor tries to get closer to his father. Alex has a severe allergic reaction.

The Doctor ran a scan on the TARDIS the next morning after Penelope had made them breakfast. The Doctor hadn't eaten it, of course. His father invited himself into the console room for the scan, revealing the TARDIS was still ill but starting to get better. The Doctor was still feeling the effects, however.

“Perhaps if I might take a look, Theta?” Ulysses asked.

Wordlessly the Doctor stepped back out of Ulysses' way. He looked at the monitor, tapping a few keys on the console.

“It appears to be a strain of influenza,” Ulysses said, looking at the Doctor who was just stood there silently. “I recall a case like this with Rigono's Tardis. I can help you.”

“How so?” the Doctor asked.

“A simple mogrification circuit switch will help her breathe,” Ulysses told him, looking down at the floor plate that gave access to the TARDIS workings. He bent down and pulled it free.

“Are you sure?” the Doctor asked, slightly apprehensive. He was feeling very protective. The only person he'd ever let down there unsupervised was Jack. But still, this was his father, and his father was very good with TARDIS repairs.

“I am always sure, boy,” Ulysses replied seriously. “Do you want her to heal or not?”

The Doctor nodded quickly. “Yes, Father, sorry.”

“Very well,” he said, dropping down into the workings.

* * *

 

Ulysses and the Doctor spent the entire day working on the TARDIS. Lunch and dinner had been and gone, and the Doctor had not taken part in them under the watchful eye of Ulysses.

The Doctor was handing him tools down through the grating hole, watching his father at work. He hated to admit it, but he was learning from what his father did. Much in the way a human child would learn about fixing a car from their parent, he supposed. 

“This, Theta, is the feed reversal loop shell ...” Ulysses said, holding up a spherical component. “And it appears to be in backwards.”

“Thought I'd try it,” the Doctor replied, shrugging and smiling.

Ulysses looked at him for a moment, before his mouth seemed to turn up at the corners ... just slightly. “Well, experimenting with her is all well and good, Theta, but there some parts you just can't move around.”

“The only difference I noticed was the food machine starting serving turkey when you asked for chicken.”

“It's a power concentrator, it means you lose more energy than you would normally with every flight. What are you using to power her without the Eye? Hand me the yearkle, would you?”

“Energy from a rift,” the Doctor replied, taking the yearkle from the tools and handing it down.

“Oh? And that works?”

“With the extrapolator I've got, yeah.”

“That's very resourceful, well done, boy.”

The Doctor had to have a moment to take that in, his eyes gazing off into nothingness. Did his father just say well done? To him? He was resourceful? He couldn't remember that ever happening before. Maybe Rose was right. Maybe if he just talked to his father, said sorry and tried to clear things up, maybe, just maybe ...

He realised the pause had gone on for too long, so he quickly cleared his throat and looked back down. “Thanks.”

They sank into silence again as Ulysses put the feed reversal loop shell back in the right way around.

The Doctor decided this was probably going to be the best time to do it. He probably wasn't going to get another opportunity like this. So he cleared his throat again and shifted to a new sitting position on the grating.

“Father,” he began.

“Yes?”

“... I'm really sorry.”

Ulysses suddenly looked up at him, pausing in his work. His eyes narrowed. “Theta, I can never forgive you for what you did to our race. There was no reason in the  _ universe ...” _

“No, no,” the Doctor interrupted quickly. “I ... I don't expect forgiveness for that. I haven't even forgiven myself. What I meant was, I'm sorry that ... Well, I'm just sorry for who I am and what I've done to you.”

“Theta ...”

“No, look Father, I know I've always been this disappointment to you, you expected me to go in one direction and I always took the other. I suppose I was doing those things to make myself happy, I never considered what it ... Well ... What it might do to you. I'm sorry for that.”

“Oh, Theta,” Ulysses sighed, making to sit up to look him directly in the eyes. “Despite what you might think of me, there was never a moment when you weren't my son. I have always cared for you. Maybe your mother and I have slightly different ideas on how to raise you, but I believed if I was not tough on you, you would never be strong. I had hoped rather than fearing the monsters in the shadows you would fear me more. And look at what you have turned out to be.”

The Doctor swallowed slightly. “... Thank you.”

“Now hand me the brockan spanner and let's mend this utter mess you've made of your Tardis.”

The Doctor grinned, handing him the tool.

“Can see where he gets his tweakin' obsession from,” said a voice from the doorway, and the Doctor looked up to see Rose standing there grinning.

“Get back into bed,” the Doctor drawled. 

“I need you help to me.”

“Do what?”

Rose glanced at Ulysses. “Umm ...” She raised a hand to her mouth and hissed, “have a bath!”

“Oh,” the Doctor said dumbly, looking back at his father with his hands inside the inner workings of his TARDIS.

“Get going then, boy,” Ulysses ordered, head still inside the console.

The Doctor nodded and got up, running over to Rose and starting off down the corridor.

“You've been in the same room with him all day,” Rose noted once they were out of hearing range.

“We've been talking.”

“Yeah? What about?”

“... Stuff,” he replied with a sniff. “I think ... I think it might be getting better.”

“That's good!” Rose told him, stopping him to hug him one-handed. “I'm happy. What did you say?”

“I said I was sorry for how I've made him feel.”

“That was a good idea,” Rose said, sounding impressed. “Doesn't sound like it was yours at all.”

He laughed, gazing into her eyes. “Not as such.”

She didn't even bother asking, just kissing him. 

“Theta!” came a sudden shriek from the hallway, and the Doctor and Rose turned to see Penelope running down the corridor, utterly panicked. “It's Alex! I don't know what's happening!”

The Doctor's eyes widened. “Alex?!” he yelled, then tore down the corridor past his mother and towards the nursery. “Alex!” 

The Doctor ran into the nursery to find his son lying on the floor, his face swollen up and barely able to breathe. He knelt down instantly scooping the boy up in both arms. Even as Penelope and Rose reached the room, the Doctor was already running back out of it to the Infirmary.

“What is it?” Rose asked anxiously, her heart racing in her chest as Penelope helped her to the Infirmary where the Doctor was already running around in a frenzy, Alex lying unmoving on one of the beds.

“I was playing with him when he started crying, then he threw up and his face started swelling, then he couldn't breathe ...” Penelope said, barely able to calm her hysteria. “It all happened to fast! What's wrong with him?”

“Anaphylaxis!” the Doctor yelled, running back over to Alex with heaps of medications in his arms, throwing them onto the bed and rummaging through. Rose hobbled as fast as she could over to the bed to put an arm around Alex, barely able to contain herself at the sight of their son looking ill.

“You're gonna be okay, sweetheart, I swear, Mummy and Daddy are here ...” Rose said over and over again, cupping his head and kissing him. His chest was rising and falling erratically, his little teary eyes gazing around trying to make sense of what was happening to him.

“Where's the epinephrine?!” the Doctor practically shrieked, throwing all the medicines onto the floor and jumping off of the bed to hunt again. “Rose, tell me if he passes out!”

Rose choked a barely audible “yes” and looked down at Alex again, stroking his swollen face. “Stay with me, sweetheart, Daddy's fixing you, stay here ...”

But he was becoming more and more lethargic, and hives were breaking out. Then he closed his eyes.

“No, Alex! Open your eyes, open them ...”

He didn't.

“Doctor!” Rose yelled.

“Got it!” the Doctor yelled, bolting over with an Epi-Pen in hand, almost tripping over his own feet. He dropped to sit on the bed and jabbed it into Alex's thigh. He held it there for a few seconds, then took it out, staring at Alex's face. 

“Come on,” he urged the boy. “You're all right, you're okay... Everything's fine...”

“Is he okay?” Penelope asked anxiously.

“He will be,” the Doctor answered quickly, linking the boy up to a few monitors.

“What the hell caused that?!” Rose asked, still struggling to calm her hysteria.

“Did you have anything usual in the room that he touched?” the Doctor asked his mother, and she shook her head. “Did you have anything on your fingers?”

“I washed my hands,” Penelope replied quietly. 

Alex's face was starting to go down now, and he opened his eyes, looking around.

“Hello,” Rose said to him, still shaking. “Welcome back, you scared us, sweetheart.”

Alex just yawned and settled down, seemingly absolutely nonchalant as though nothing had happened at all.

“I'll keep him here overnight, check he's all right,” the Doctor explained, kissing the boy gently and moving to get some more medications.

Rose nodded. “But what caused it?”

“Perhaps he ate something?” Penelope wondered.

“He's on breastmilk, nothing else,” Rose replied. 

“Maybe something you ate?” the Doctor asked her, sitting down on Alex's bed again to administer them.

“Is that possible?”

“Maybe. What have you had to eat today?”

“The usual,” Rose replied. “Cornflakes, sandwich. Nothing I haven't had before while breastfeeding him.”

“Hold on, I'll scan him,” the Doctor said, bolting off across the room again.

“What is going on in here? Penelope? Theta?” Ulysses entered in a flourish of a robe, looking around at the sight with his ever-present sense of authority.

“Alex had a very bad allergic reaction, Ulysses,” Penelope explained.

“I see. Did you treat him with epinephrine, Theta?”

“Yes, Father,” the Doctor replied as he came back holding a strange metal contraption.

“Good, well done, my boy,” Ulysses replied, bouncing on his toes. “Have we any idea what caused it?”

“Just checking now, Father,” the Doctor answered, kissing Alex and muttering a few comforting words before he calibrated the device in his hand and ran it down Alex. It beeped, and he checked the readout. Then he blinked, staring at the screen in complete disbelief.

“Doctor?” Rose asked from where she sat on Alex's bed, stroking back his hair.

The Doctor slowly looked up, staring at them all. “He's ... He's ingested aspirin.”

“What?!” Penelope gasped.

“How did that happen?!” Rose almost demanded to know.

The Doctor's eyebrows lowered, frowning deeply. “... Did anyone give him aspirin at all today? Even by mistake?”

He was met with negative silence before Penelope spoke, “he is rather active, could he have found some laying around?”

The Doctor thought about that. “I don’t think we even  _ have  _ any aspirin. Besides, a direct shot probably would've killed him, so it had to have come secondarily ...” he reasoned, looking at Rose. “And all he has is your breast-milk.”

She blinked. “Are you sayin' I took some aspirin we don't even have?”

“I'm saying that I can't figure out any other possibility,” the Doctor amended quickly. “Could you have taken one by accident?”

“No, I haven't touched any,” Rose almost snapped. 

“Okay,” the Doctor replied, running hand down his face. He swiftly changed the subject. “Everyone, it's bedtime and we're keeping Alex up.”

Everyone nodded. Penelope hugged the Doctor in reassurance, before slipping out the door after Ulysses. The Doctor and Rose both took seats by Alex's bed as Rose tucked Alex in, the boy still yawning.

“Hey, you get a big person's bed tonight,” she told him, smiling. He made a squeaking sound and extended his arms for a hug, to which she obliged, kissing him. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.”

Alex didn't seem to want to until he got a goodnight from his Dad. The Doctor leant forward and kissed him. “Good night, Alex.”

Finally Alex settled, content he'd gotten a goodnight from both parents. The Doctor and Rose just sat beside him, staying silent until he was asleep.

“Rose ...” the Doctor began in a whisper.

“Yeah?” she asked quietly, stroking back Alex's hair.

“... Did you take an aspirin?”

She jerked her head up to look at him, eyes narrowing.

“If it was a mistake that's fine, really ...” the Doctor quickly continued before she became angry. But it didn't seem to help.

“Of course I bloody didn't!” she hissed.

“It's really okay if it was a mistake ...”

“Well, I didn't!” she snapped. “Are you sayin' I'm a liar? I would never do that! How could you think I would? I  _ know  _ how sick aspirin makes you, I saw it, Doctor. You were sick for days. I would never, ever have taken it knowin' it might pass through to Alex.”

“Okay, okay ...”

“You don't believe me, do you?”

“I do, Rose, I do,” the Doctor said quickly. “But ... there's no other way he could have ingested it. ..” His face suddenly dropped, his eyes looking down at Alex lying dwarfed in the huge bed as his voice descended to a mumble. “... My mum made you lunch.”

“What?”

“... She knew he was potentially anaphylactic, she knows I am,” he said lowly, looking beyond deflated. “What if ... What if you didn't know you were taking it? What if she crushed up a pill and put it in your drink?”

Rose stared at him, jaw agape. “... No. No way. She loves Alex, she wouldn't do that.”

“If you've got another explanation, please,  _ please  _ tell me,” he said quietly.

“Okay, right,” Rose began, thinking hard. “If she was trying to kill him, why would she run out and tell us when he was reacting? She could've pretended she wasn't there. And she was really worried, Doctor. You could see it.”

The Doctor looked up at her, slowly nodding. “Okay, that makes sense. But if it wasn't her, who was it?”

“Right, so if it wasn't you or me or your mum, that leaves your dad or Leah.”

“Well, Leah definitely didn't do it, and my father was with me all day.”

Rose frowned. “Then who was it?”

“I don't know,” the Doctor muttered, running a hand through his hair. “But this ... I know we don't even have any aspirin, there's no proof ... But this was attempted murder.”

Rose stared at him, horrified. 

He caught her look. “Just ... keep an eye on both of them.”

“... Do you trust them?”

“... I thought I did. But some seriously strange things have been happening around here since they arrived ... The Tardis, the car ...”

“That was an accident ...?”

“It was mechanical failure. Very low-level Time Lord science,” the Doctor replied simply. “I could've done that with the sonic. Either one of them could have caused that with ease, timed it to you walking out ...”

“You mean one of your parents have tried to kill me and Alex?” she whispered, horrified.

The Doctor held up his hands. “Look, I'm just saying it's a bit odd these accidents are happening. In my experience accidents like this don't really happen so close together, looking so unrelated but ... so coincidental.” He paused, looking at her. “Maybe it is just coincidence, but please, please, keep Leah and Alex close.”


	16. The Return of Bundy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah runs onto an old toy looking for revenge. Rose begins to see the Doctor changing to please his father.

Leah, Floppy and Francine had just finished their picnic when Floppy took Leah's arm, and smiled at her gently.

“Time to go back to the real world! Bedtime for you, Leah!” Floppy told her.

“But I don't wanna ...”

“Now, what will your Daddy and Mummy think when they come to say goodnight and you're not there?” Floppy pointed out, still smiling.

Leah harrumphed and scuffed the grass with her shoe. “Fine.”

Floppy laughed and took her hand. Francine bidded them goodbye and Leah waved in return, before they began to make their way back to the portal.

“So how are you enjoying Cuddly World?” Floppy wondered as they walked.

“It's really fun,” Leah said, smiling happily. “I really wish I could bring my daddy here, he'd love it.”

“Well, you know the rules,” Floppy told her gently. “It must remain our little secret.”

Leah nodded. They were almost at the portal now. But just as they got within ten metres, suddenly the world around them darkened considerably ...

Leah stopped, and frowned. “What is that?”

“Oh dear,” Floppy muttered. “Oh, Leah, I perhaps should have mentioned it earlier.”

“What?” Leah asked, a little worried now. “What's happening?”

“I have to admit, Leah, I did not just bring you here to see Cuddly World,” Floppy began, looking a little guilty. “There is something that's upsetting Cuddly World, and we need you to help us ...”

“What is it?” Leah wondered.

“A year ago, you put someone at the bottom of the toy box, and have never played with her since ...”

There was a figure coming towards them over the hill, lumbering menacingly as all the cuddlies around it screamed and ran. As the figure drew closer Leah could begin to make it out ... A cuddly who was sown up haphazardly all over, one of its eyes missing, an ear sown on backwards, the stuffing spilling out of tears ...

Then she realised who it was.

“Bundy!” she croaked.

“Leah!” Bundy yelled angrily. “You killed me, Leah!”

Leah began to back away as Bundy drew closer, her eyes widening ... “Bundy, I'm sorry!”

“You  _ abandoned  _ me!” Bundy yelled again, now inches away from her. “You blew me up!”

“I didn't ... I didn't want to ... I ... I had to...” Leah stammered, still backing away.

“You shoved me at the bottom of the box and replaced me! With a new toy!” Bundy shouted, pointing a paw at Floppy who was stood there trembling.

“You were gone Bundy, I had to ...”

“Your love was a lie, wasn't it, Leah!” Bundy cried. “You never loved me!”

“I did, Bundy, I did ...” Leah insisted. “I had to blow you up, there was ...”

“I was going to bring you to Cuddly World, Leah! We were going to be best friends forever! And you killed me!” Bundy yelled, cutting over Leah's protests. “Do you know what it's like to have someone you love blow you up? Do you?”

“Umm, no...”

“I'm going to show you!” Bundy yelled, but Leah had made it to the portal now. She jumped through it and emerged in her toy chest in her bedroom, scrambling out to fall headlong onto the floor. She whirled back around to face the toy chest, watching with baited breath for any sign of Bundy ...

“Leeeaaaaah!!!” suddenly came a muffled yell of rage, and the disfigured Bundy emerged from within the bed of toys. She caught sight of Leah and instantly dived forward straight onto Leah's face.

“Bundy!” Leah cried, struggling desperately to get Bundy off of her face but the bear had an amazingly tight grip. Eventually she managed to get the bear off and threw her across the room where she hit the wall and fell down soundlessly behind the bed.

Leah just stared for a moment, breathing heavily. There was no sound coming from the bed. 

Nervously, she dropped to all fours and crawled to look under it. She pushed aside her toys and peered in, looking to see where Bundy had gone ...

A tattered face loomed suddenly from the shadows, and Leah screamed.

Roughly five seconds later the door burst open and the Doctor rushed in, alert. Leah instantly scrambled to her feet and spun around to meet him.

He frowned, looking at her standing there looking innocently up at him. “You all right?”

“Fine!” Leah said happily.

He raised an eyebrow, looking around the room for a moment before looking back at her.

“You're up to something,” he stated.

“No, nothing,” Leah insisted, still smiling.

“Seriously, you've been hiding from us for the last couple of weeks ... What's going on?”

Leah sighed, already knowing he wasn't going to go away. “I can't say.”

“Well, that's not worrying,” he said sarcastically, dropping to one knee to her level. 

“Please, Daddy, trust me. I'm gonna sort it out.”

“Can I help?”

“No,” she said quickly. “I have to sort it out by myself.”

He looked extremely unconvinced, but thankfully conceded. “Okay. Get washed and changed and I'll come say goodnight.”

He got up, and made to turn and leave.

“Wait!” Leah said suddenly, running to him and grabbing his leg.

“What?”

“Can you stay until I'm ready?”

That frown appeared again. “Leah ...”

“Sorting it,” she insisted. “Please stay.”

“Well ... fine,” the Doctor said. “You go and get changed and I'll pick a book.”

Leah nodded happily, and bounced off into the bathroom. When she returned her Daddy was sitting on the bed with a book in hand.

“This okay?” he asked, holding up  **Where's My Teddy?** .

Leah nodded, jumping onto bed and drawing the covers up to her nose. The Doctor opened the book and began to read.

“One day I could not find my teddy! I looked all over my bedroom, but she was nowhere to be found! So I went to the living room and asked Mummy where my teddy could be. Mummy smiled and held up a teddy. 'Is this your teddy?' she asked. But its paws were too woolly! 'That's not my teddy!' I replied. 'Try asking Daddy!' she told me, so I went to find Daddy.”

He frowned a little, checking the front cover of the book. “Maybe this one's a little young for you ..”

“No!” Leah insisted. “Please read it.”

“Well, okay,” the Doctor said, opening it again. “I went to the kitchen and asked Daddy where my teddy could be. Daddy smiled and held up a teddy. 'Is this your teddy?' he asked. But its nose was too squishy! 'That's not my teddy!' I replied. 'Try asking Granny!' he told me, so I went to find Granny.” He paused again, and looked at her. “Are you  _ sure  _ you want me to read this? I'd be happy with Harry Potter.”

“Read it!” Leah insisted again, a little annoyed now.

“Fine,” the Doctor replied, and looked at the book again. “I went to the garden and asked Granny where my teddy could be. Granny smiled and held up a teddy. 'Is this your teddy?' she asked. But its ears were too bendy! 'That's not my teddy!' I replied. 'Try asking your brother!' she told me, so I went to find my brother.

“I went to the study and asked my brother where my teddy could be. My brother smiled and held up a teddy. 'Is this your teddy?' he asked. But its eyes were too shiny! 'That's not my teddy!' I replied. 'Try asking your other toys!' he told me, so I went to find my other toys.

“I went to my bedroom and asked my toys where my teddy could be. They smiled and held up a teddy. 'Is this your teddy?' they asked. Its paws were not woolly, its nose was not squishy, its ears were not bendy and its eyes were not shiny. 'Yes!' I said. It was my teddy, and I was very glad to have her back! The end.”

* * *

 

The Doctor closed the book and looked at Leah. She was half-asleep. He leant forward to kiss her forehead, tucking her in. Then he caught sight of something down the side of the bed. He reached down to take it, and drew out a very bedraggled looking bear that somehow seemed strangely familiar.

He shrugged it off, getting up off of the bed and putting the book back on the shelf before quietly slipping out the door with the bear still in hand, the light switching off automatically as he closed the door behind him.

He made his way back to the living room, where Rose was sat curled up under a blanket. He dropped down next to her and gave her the teddy.

“Yours to fix,” he said as she took it. She looked at the bear for a moment, frowning slightly before shrugging it off and putting it on the side to fix later. She looked at him and held out an arm to draw him in, snuggling up against him and pulling the blanket over them both. It had been a week since the accident now, and with the Doctor's osteo-regenerator working its magic Rose's injuries were very nearly healed. 

“If you want sex, I'm really too tired,” the Doctor told her seriously.

“Maybe because you haven't eaten, drank or slept for four days,” Rose told him seriously.

“Please don't,” he muttered.

“Seriously, the eatin' I could handle, I get that. But sleepin' and drinkin' has cropped up now too and that's really worryin' me, yeah? You've had less energy than ... Than a snail on sleepin’ pills.”

“Nice metaphor,” the Doctor complemented tiredly.

“Doctor, I'm serious. This isn't good for you, yeah? This is gonna kill you.”

He closed his eyes and rolled his head back against the sofa. “I ... I can't do that.”

“Why not?” Rose asked.

“Please, really don't want to talk about it right now,” he said in a murmur as his eyes slipped closed ...

He jerked awake again in seconds, blinking erratically. He was beyond exhausted, but he had to stay awake. He wasn't going to eat or drink until his father did. So he would continue with this. Indefinitely, if he had too.

* * *

 

Two weeks passed, and the TARDIS still ill. Rose was beginning to get a bit bored of staying in one place, though frankly with the state the Doctor was in she wouldn't put all her faith in him flying the TARDIS anywhere. He hadn't had any food, drink or sleep for nearly three weeks now, and it was beginning to show. He was becoming forgetful and irritable, he would be in the middle of a sentence and suddenly forget what he was saying. It was so unlike him it was absolutely terrifying. His father seemed to have almost total control over him.

They went into Torchwood as the Doctor needed some more syringes. He and Rose found Martha in the medical bay, just about to start an autopsy on an alien.

She looked up on their entry, and smiled. “Hello!”

“Martha, have you got ...” the Doctor suddenly paused, frowning slightly. “The ... things. Umm ... you know.”

“I don't?” Martha queried.

“The ... things ... You know!” he suddenly burst out, annoyed.

“He wants a new batch of syringes,” Rose said gently.

“Oh, of course,” Martha said with a smile, moving to the drawer and pulling them out, then handing them to the Doctor. She regarded him for a moment. He was looking very pale and weak, his eyes not quite focusing on what he was looking at.

He gazed through the syringes for a moment, before suddenly raising his head up and nodding. “Thanks,” he said, and trudged out the door back to the TARDIS.

“He really doesn't seem very well,” Martha muttered.

“I know,” Rose replied, sighing. “His dad's stopped him eatin', drinkin' and sleepin'.”

Martha's jaw dropped. “Why?”

“Apparently Time Lords don't need to. His dad yells at him when he tries to do any of them.”

“And the Doctor’s listening to him? That doesn’t sound like him.”

Rose pursed her lips, neither confirming nor denying anything. 

“What?” Martha asked.

“... Did you ever have a teacher at school who was so imposin’ you'd just do everything they'd say?”

“He's scared of him?” Martha realised.

“Yeah,” Rose replied, nodding. “And he's tryin' to get on his good side.”

“That doesn’t sound like him at all.”

“I know.”

“How long has it been since he had something to eat or drink?”

“It's been a nearly three weeks now,” Rose muttered.

“This isn't a small thing, Rose,” Martha told her seriously. “If he doesn't get some food or water or sleep ... He's going to be in serious trouble. Even if he is a Time Lord this is nothing small.”

“I know,” Rose said with a sigh. “It's so complicated, he's tryin' to please his dad and I know he's hatin' every second. He practically been banned from the kitchen. Every time I try to give him somethin' his dad appears and I have to hide it.”

“Are you going to stand up to his dad or what?” Martha demanded. “If even the Doctor can’t stand up to him, you have to.”

“I know I should,” Rose said with another sigh. “It's scary seein' him like this. It's really not like him. He's completely changed since his parents arrived, but I know all he wants to do is please his dad and I really don't want to wreck that for him, he's just gettin' somewhere and he'd never forgive me for ruinin' it.”

Martha fixed her with a stare. “Sorry if I'm going to sound callous, but he's already walking around in a haze. Another week and it’s terminal. His body is used to eating like a human now, and he's used to sleeping every night. He can't just suddenly change that or there's going to be serious side effects. You're seeing it now. He has to eat something and it's no business of his father's. Promise me you'll make him eat something.”

Rose swallowed.

“Promise me,” Martha insisted.

“I promise,” Rose replied, nodding.

* * *

 

Night drew in, and Rose came out of the kitchen holding a tray of food and drink. She checked the corridor for any sign of Ulysses, but he was nowhere to be seen. She darted across the corridor and into the living area where the Doctor was, lying on the sofa curled in on himself staring sightlessly at the TV. Even that was something he’d never have done until this.

“Doctor?” Rose began gently. He looked up, and instantly saw the tray of food and drink. His eyes widened.

“Here.” She gave the tray to him, and he stared at it in complete disbelief as if he was being given the Holy Grail. “He's not around.”

“I c-can’t …”

“Eat the damn food, yeah?” Rose snapped. 

“B-but …”

“You’re gonna kill yourself goin’ on like this,” Rose told him firmly. “I dunno about you, but I’d like Leah and and Alex to have a father who didn’t regenerate cos of his stupidity.”

Swallowing and checking the door briefly, the Doctor quickly grabbed the tray, and began tearing packets open to throw things down his throat. Rose kept glancing at the door as he ate. She didn't know why she was so nervous of Ulysses. He seemed to carry an air of authority about him ... Or maybe that was an air of fear. But this was something the Doctor, for once, couldn’t seem to fight for himself. She could take Ulysses.

Finally she resigned to herself and sank into the sofa, watching him. She had stacked the tray high and he was already nearly halfway through it.

“Theta!” Ulysses' voice roared suddenly from behind them and the Doctor froze. “What are you  _ doing?” _

“Father, I ...” the Doctor began, glancing between his father and Rose. “I was just ...”

“I thought I told you not to do that!” Ulysses roared.

Rose watched the Doctor as he seemed to shrink where he sat. A little boy told off by his father for breaking a window with his football. The brave, clever, charming man she’d known for so long just gone in the blink of an eye.

Then she decided she'd had enough. If the Doctor was this vulnerable, it was her duty to sort it out for him. She got up and strode over to Ulysses.

“You say you want what's best for him so let him eat and drink! He hasn't for weeks! He's dehydrated, malnourished and sleep deprived!”

Ulysses looked down at her with a look that seemed to regard her as some kind of worm. “Time Lords do not need ...”

“I don't care what Time Lords don't need!” Rose screamed in his face. “He's my husband, the father of my children and he needs to eat, sleep and drink! I made him food, now he's gonna eat it, and then he's going to bed!”

“You don't know anything, human,” Ulysses spat. “I know my race and I know my son, and eating, sleeping and drinking so much is making him ill!”

“Just look at him!” Rose yelled, gesturing to the Doctor sat there, transfixed. “Does he look healthy to you?! He's pale and weak and I know he's tryin’ so hard to please you but he just can't go on like this! You're gonna end up killin’ him!”

Ulysses looked very uninterested, shoving her roughly aside to go to his son. Rose hit the floor from the shove, absolutely winded. The Doctor suddenly lurched into action, getting to his feet and going to Rose.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently.

She nodded, accepting his help to her feet. 

“Let me talk to him,” the Doctor said gently to her.

She nodded again. “Don’t you dare submit. That’s not you. You don’t need him,” she whispered angrily in his ear.

He nodded. She kissed him briefly, and left the room.

* * *

 

The Doctor turned to Ulysses, suddenly alight with rage. “Don't you  _ dare  _ touch her again.”

“Oh come on, Theta,” Ulysses reprimanded. “You know I'm right!”

“Actually, Father,” the Doctor began insincerely. “I don't think you're right. I think you're incredibly  _ wrong _ . Rose is right, and I don't know why I was trying to please you so much but I'm done with it. You can take your Time Lord biology and shove it.”

Ulysses looked aghast. “You dare insult my intelligence, Theta?!”

The Doctor stood his ground, his fists clenched. “Maybe I just grew up to be cleverer than you could ever  _ dream  _ of being!”

* * *

 

“Oh my god!” Rose shrieked as Ulysses reappeared a few minutes later supporting the Doctor, who looked barely awake, bruised around his eyes with a bloody nose. “What the hell ...”

“It all happened so fast!” Ulysses said quickly, his eyes wide. “We were angry, then suddenly he lurched out at me, slipped and hit the table!”

“Doctor?” Rose breathed, somehow not really believing that as she took hold of him, gazing into his watery blackened eyes. “What happened?”

“I think I fell over,” the Doctor murmured, dazed.

“Infirmary, right now,” Rose demanded, eyeing Ulysses suspiciously. The older Time Lord made to follow, but Rose held up her hand. “Not you,” she spat.

Ulysses simply sighed and nodded, stepping back before Rose escorted the Doctor to the infirmary.

* * *

 

“There we go,” Rose said as she mopped up the last of the blood from around his nose as his sat on the edge of a bed holding a pack of ice to his face. “It's not broken.”

“Well, that's something,” the Doctor supposed, a little more alert now.

“What really happened?” Rose wondered, pulling the ice pack from his face. He had a small cut on the bridge of his nose and the bruising around his eyes but nothing more.

“My father told you.”

“It's okay, he's not around here,” Rose whispered gently to him. “Tell me what happened.”

“You know. I went to hit him pretty hard after he started yelling at me and he dodged. Since I had my entire body weight behind the punch, I fell forward pretty heavily and smacked my face into the coffee table, knocking myself out in the process,” the Doctor explained, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Really?” Rose asked, frowning.

“Yep,” the Doctor replied. 

She could tell he wasn't lying.

“I've never seen you punch anyone before,” Rose mused. 

“Well, this is what it looks like,” he said, gesturing at his face.

Rose laughed. “I can't even imagine you punchin' anyone. You must've really lost control.”

“It's a bit of a haze,” the Doctor admitted. “But I was so angry at him. I'm surprised I didn't tear him limb from limb. It was the fact he shouted at you that got me going and when he shoved you I just lost it. The bond’s a tricky thing.”

Rose nodded, and then began laughing at herself. “Oh god, I thought for a minute he'd hit you, there.”

“He might as well have,” the Doctor joked, gesturing at his face again. “I'm an idiot.”

“Not  _ all _ the time,” Rose assured him, kissing him gently. “Now come to bed and get some sleep.”

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. “But ...”

“Doctor, we're done with that now. You're going to bed, then when you wake up I am makin' you a full English Breakfast, then I'm gonna watch you eat it, and I'm not gonna be satisfied until I see every last drip of egg mopped up off of the plate, yeah? If you can’t seem to fight your father, then I’m gonna do it for you, yeah?”

He sighed. “Fine.”

She grinned and kissed him. 


	17. Liar, Liar, House on Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally visit Jackie, but disaster looms.

“My god, who decked you?” Jackie wondered the minute she opened her flat door, gazing at the Doctor and his bruised eyes.

“A table,” Rose replied, laughing. “Idiot fell over.”

“Drunk?” Jackie wondered.

“He tried to throw a punch.”

“Oh!” Jackie realised, then frowned. “He couldn't punch anyone, he's way too weedy.”

The Doctor coughed slightly as Ulysses and Penelope reached the top of the stairs. “Err ... I'm standing right here.”

“Let's come in!” Rose declared happily before they could start arguing, leading the way inside her Mum's flat with Leah clutching onto her hand. Tony was sat on the sofa, and the instant Leah and Tony saw each other they started glaring.

“You two be nice!” Rose hissed to them. “It's only for a couple of hours.”

Leah sighed a heavy sigh, jumping up to take the only one-person chair and sitting there with her arms folded indignantly. Tony sniffed and looked at the ceiling.

“This is Penelope,” Rose began, with a gesture of introduction. “And this Ulysses,” she gestured to the man currently standing near the door, gazing around the flat with an incredible amount of disdain. “The Doctor's parents, this is my Mum, Jackie, and my brother, Tony.”

“It's so lovely to meet you!” Penelope said politely, extending a hand. 

Jackie shook it with a smile, gesturing for everyone to take a seat.

“Oi, make room,” the Doctor told Leah. She shuffled over obediently and he dropped down onto it, sitting Alex on one leg as Leah took the other.

“Would anyone like any tea? Coffee?” Jackie asked in, what the Doctor noticed to be, a far posher accent than usual.

“I'll have some tea,” he said, arm in the air.

“Me too,” Rose said.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Jackie said happily and buzzed off to the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Rose said in an undertone after a moment's pause, laughing. “She's always like this when there's important guests.”

“I like it,” the Doctor admitted as Alex started to climb up his chest to, presumably, assault his hair. He grabbed the boy and sat him down on his leg again.

“Ulysses?” Penelope wondered after a moment's pause, looking at the man still stood gazing around the room as if analysing and judging every single inch of it.

“If you want the loo it's through that door,” Rose told him, pointing.

Ulysses didn't even acknowledge that she said anything, just moving off through the door.

“Would've thought superior gallifreyans don't need to pee,” Rose muttered sarcastically under her breath, just loud enough for the Doctor to catch.

“Now, I've ordered pizzas and they should be here in ten minutes,” Jackie said, interrupting any further conversation that may have come out of that as she came back into the living room holding a tray with two cups of teas and a plate of rich tea biscuits on. “I wasn't sure if you two were vegetarian or not, Penelope, so I got two veggies and two meats?”

“That is absolutely fine,” Penelope assured her, smiling.

“I suppose we should get to know each other then!” Jackie said, laughing as she sat down. “I have to say I'm a bit surprised. The Doctor never really talks about his family all that much, I kinda assumed you were dead or living on Gallybean or whatever your planet's called.”

“Gallifrey,” the Doctor corrected.

“Oh yes, sorry, that one,” Jackie said with a dinner party laugh, still being incredibly fake.

“The one that got destroyed in a war?” the Doctor continued in a prompt, raising an eyebrow.

“It did?” Jackie asked, hand over mouth. “You never told me that! I'm so very sorry, Penelope.”

“And that is the fault of one person and one person only,” came a harsh voice from behind them as Ulysses left the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

“Err ...” Jackie began, frowning as the Doctor shrank where he sat.

“Yes!” Penelope interjected before it could go any further. “That's where Theta grew up.”

“What was he like as a kid?” Jackie wondered seriously. “Was he a bit of a nerd? I think he could've been.”

“He was extremely troublesome,” Ulysses said straight.

“I believe it was his friend, Koschei, that boy was quite a bad influence on him,” Penelope explained.

“Mum!” the Doctor whined, hoping to change the subject. He was completely ignored.

“Oh, I had trouble with that!” Jackie exclaimed, laughing and indicating Rose with a nod of her head. “Quite a miserable month of my life, that was! Still, give the kid a good shouting at and they won't be doing that again.”

“Mum!” Rose whined in turn, looking at the Doctor, who was looking at her with his 'you do realise this is your fault' expression.

“So is it only Rose and Tony you have?” Penelope asked. Jackie nodded. “We have two boys, Theta and Irving. Though recently we've been thinking ...”

“Don't even  _ finish  _ that sentence,” the Doctor warned lowly.

“We've been thinking that maybe it's time for another, we've never conceived naturally before and it could be fun,” Penelope continued, regardless.

“You finished the sentence ...” the Doctor croaked in realisation, turning utterly red.

“Really, Theta,” Penelope said with a sigh. “You should be a lot more open-minded. It has been a very long time since your father and I shared a bed and I found I've begun to enjoy it again.”

“I feel ill,” the Doctor muttered as Rose giggled at his expression.

“Well, I've found a new man recently,” Jackie began. “He's very keen on kids too, I think I could pop out one more before my time's up.”

Rose's expression fell like a ten tonne rock.

“Oh, you should definitely try,” Penelope said, smiling. “I'm sure Theta and Rose would be thrilled to help in whatever way they can.”

“Is there gonna be another baby?” Leah wondered suddenly, completely forgotten in the conversation.

Penelope smiled. “Perhaps, Leah! Perhaps two!”

“Yay!” Leah exclaimed happily, but the Doctor wasn't looking so pleased.

“If you'll excuse me a moment, I'm just going to have a moment of panic and nausea in the bathroom,” the Doctor stated, manoeuvring Leah and Alex off of him before legging it to the bathroom.

“I think I'll join you,” Rose muttered, and pegged it after him.

Penelope and Jackie watched them go, eyes following until they closed the bathroom door behind them. Then neither of them could hold it in any longer. They simultaneously burst out laughing, smiling very evilly indeed.

“But really,” Penelope began. “I'm not going to have another.”

Jackie nodded quickly in agreement. “Oh  _ god _ , no.”

* * *

 

The Doctor and Rose were in the bathroom having a decent snogging session. Rose had her hand halfway down his trousers and he had his inside her top. Rose, as always, instigated it but he’d been happy to go along with it, although it was hardly an appropriate time for it.

He played his part well, backing her up against the shower door, wincing slightly at the sound the door made at began jolted, but continued regardless, his hands moving into places he knew by experience that she liked.

Rose was enjoying this, to say the least. She hadn't had a decent make out session with him for a while.

Then something behind the Doctor caught her eye. Quickly, her eyes widened at the sight of a small fire in the corner of the bathroom.

“Doctor!” she mumbled through his mouth before pulling away.

“No,” he said shortly, grabbing her and snogging her again.

“Doctor!” she yelled this time, forcing him away. 

“Was I not doing it right?” he asked, before he realised she was looking at something else behind him, and he turned to see the fire. “Oh!”

He searched in his pockets, presumbly for the sonic screwdriver, but after some patting he gave up, and dived for the hand towel, running it under the water and wringing it out before throwing it on the fire. Impossibly the fire seemed to love that and suddenly jumped a metre towards them.

The entire of the corner of the bathroom was suddenly in flames. The Doctor grabbed Rose's arm and ran out the door into the living room. 

“Everyone get out, the bathroom's on fire!” the Doctor said urgently, running to Alex and Leah. 

“What the hell did you do to it?!” Jackie yelped, grabbing Tony's arm and yanking him to stand close.

The Doctor took Leah's hand and readjusted Alex in his grip, just in time for the smoke alarms in the entire block to start up, instantly deafening them. 

“Come on, move!” the Doctor yelled, running out of the door with everyone else following on behind.

“Oh, wait!” Jackie exclaimed, grabbing the Doctor's arm in a panic. “Mrs Hodgson! She won't be able to get down on her own ... And Mr Johnson, he's completely deaf.”

“Me and Rose'll get them,” the Doctor said quickly, handing her Leah and and Alex. “Everyone else get out!”

They quickly obeyed the command, his mum taking Alex. They hurried down the stairwell before the Doctor turned to Rose.

“Where's Mrs Hodgson?” he asked quickly.

“Up two floors, number 16,” Rose said. “Mr Johnson's up one, number 12.”

“Let's go,” the Doctor said, glancing at the door of the flat they had just come out of. Smoke was billowing out the bottom already, it had spread insanely fast.

He flew up the stairs two floors until he got to number sixteen. “Mrs Hodgson!” he yelled, banging his fist on the door. “Mrs Hodgson, are you there?”

After a few moments the door creaked open to reveal Mrs Hodgson, an elderly woman staring at him incongruously.

“Now just what is all this racket?” she asked.

“Mrs Hodgson, the building's on fire, we have to leave now,” the Doctor told her urgently.

“On fire? Oh dear!” Mrs Hodgson exclaimed, then turned around and walked back into her flat.

“Mrs Hodgson!” the Doctor yelped, running forward. “What are you ...”

“I must get Mr Tibbles!” Mrs Hodgson told him.

“I'll get your cat ...” the Doctor told her, assuming it was a cat anyway. “Come on, Mrs Hodgson, this way...”

He took her arm gently and guided her to the stairwell where Rose already waiting. 

“Here, Rose will take you out all right?” he told her.

“Thank you, dearie!,” Mrs Hodgson told him as Rose took her arm from the Doctor and began to lead her down the hallway. “He's a lovely young man, isn't he?” the Doctor heard Mrs Hodgson tell Rose as they moved to the stairs. “You're a very lucky young woman!”

The Doctor turned and ran back into the flat, scouring all over for Mr Tibbles.

“Mr Tibbles!” he called, ducking to look under the sofa. “Mr Tibbles!” He straightened again, and checked the bathroom. “Here, Mr Tibbles! Come on!”

He suddenly saw a black cat dart out of the bedroom door and make towards the bathroom. The Doctor instinctively dived in a rugby tackle and grabbed the cat in both hands.

Mr Tibbles meowed and went to bite his hand. He yelped, just about moving his hand away in time before getting to his feet, gaining a firm grip on the cat away from its claws and jaws.

The door opened again. The Doctor turned to see Ulysses standing there, gazing around the small flat with interest.

“Father!” the Doctor said quickly, trying to subdue Mr Tibbles struggling in his arms. “We need to get out!”

Ulysses stared at him for a moment, before producing Tony's cricket bat from behind his back.

“Father ...” the Doctor began with a frown. “What are you ...”

He trailed off as Ulysses began towards him, cricket bat in a threatening position.

The Doctor swallowed, backing away though he had nowhere to go. He glanced at the door, but quickly realised escape would be impossible ...

He hit the wall with his back. Mr Tibbles took advantage of his slackened grip, jumped out of his arms and bolted out the door.

“Father, Father, please ...” 

“I'm so very sorry, Theta,” Ulysses said entirely sincerely, and in one swift movement aimed straight for the Doctor's legs. The Doctor screamed in pain as one broke instantly, sending him smacking to the floor.

“Father!” the Doctor choked out, pain firing through his now broken leg. “What are you –”

Ulysses brought the bat down on his other leg, which neatly broke in two alongside the other one. The Doctor yelled and thrashed around on the floor in pain, before his screaming mind finally made him realise that he had to get to the door, get out of here ...

But Ulysses had put down the bat now and placed a heavy foot straight on the Doctor's neck. Not enough to break it, but the Doctor suddenly couldn't breathe. He tried desperately to grab his father's leg to pull it off of him but he couldn't get any air, his vision was blurring and the pain was like fire through his legs. He couldn't do  _ anything _ ...

He was becoming weaker and weaker, and with no air in his lungs his respiratory bypass flicked on. Ulysses took his foot off of the Doctor's neck, and this time kicked him hard in the head.

He blacked out for what must've been very brief, as when he opened his eyes he saw through blurry vision his father's face looking down at him, hand to his temple. It took the Doctor only seconds to realise what he was doing.

He was  _ altering his memories. _

“Stop,” the Doctor gasped, trying desperately to move but he couldn't even seem to be able to do that. He tried fighting mentally with all he had against Ulysses but his father was mentally far too strong. He could feel the memory of this moment slipping away like water through his fingers as he struggled to keep a hold of his thoughts ...

“I didn't fall over the other day, did I?” he croaked, realising his effort to fight was useless as his memories were slowly being replaced with new ones. “You changed my memories ...”

“Correct,” Ulysses said, nodding.

“You hit me ... Really,  _ really _ hard ...”

“I am so sorry, Theta,” Ulysses said, utterly sincere. “It will be over soon.”

“You ... You did it all ...” the Doctor croaked.

Ulysses didn't reply. He drew away his fingers, and got to his feet.

“Father ...” the Doctor whined, knowing something very bad had happened to him but his head was hurting, he was struggling to breathe and his legs were  _ agony ...  _ And he had no idea why.

Ulysses turned away, and without a word, strode towards the door.

“Father ...” the Doctor croaked, reaching out a hand from where he lay on the floor. “Please help me ...”

But even through the roar of the fire and the white noise in his ears the Doctor heard the distinct sound of his own sonic screwdriver on the door lock, which clicked, locking him inside.


	18. No Funnies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is in a very bad way. Rose has to tell their children about regeneration.

“What the hell's going on?” Jack Harkness demanded to know as he reached the flats two minutes after a hysterical phone call from Rose. The entire building was on fire now, completely consumed by flames, and the sirens seemed so far away.

“I dunno how it started, I just saw it and it got out of control ...” Rose replied, talking at about 100 miles per hour and staring at the entrance door to the flats anxiously.

Jack instinctively did a head count of people. Rose, Jackie, Penelope, Leah, Alex and Tony. “Where's ...”

But just as he was about to ask, Rose squealed and pointed as someone ran out of the building. But as the person became closer and closer they very quickly realised it was Ulysses, and their temporary relief was very quickly overwritten with the original panic.

Ulysses reached them all, gasping for air and looking around the crowd with Mr Tibbles struggling in his arms. “Where's Theta?!” he asked anxiously. “He was right in front of me!”

Rose stared at him in disbelief, and instantly tears erupted in her eyes.

“He hasn't come out, yet?” Jack asked quickly.

“No,” Rose sobbed. “Something's wrong, I can feel him, he’s terrified ... Oh God, I've gotta find him,” she said, making to go into the building but Jack stopped her.

“Rose, stay back,” he ordered. “And give me your scarf.”

“What?” she gasped in a sob as Jack took her scarf from her neck and wrapped it over his nose and mouth.

“I'm going in,” he told her, then with absolutely no hesitation he ran straight into the burning building.

* * *

 

The entire block of flats was consumed in fire and smoke as Jack pushed his way through, his eyes stinging whilst trying to keep low at all times. He scrambled up the first flight of stairs, checking at all times for the Doctor – but he couldn't see him. He continued upwards, practically throwing himself up and through the walls of fire. He'd lost his survival instinct long ago – he was immortal, only the Doctor mattered.

He managed to get up three flights of stairs before he only just about managed to dodge a piece of the infrastructure caving inwards. The entire building was falling down around his head ...

Then he caught sight of a hand. A hand covered with blood and ash, poking around the corner of the next flight of stairs. Whether it was the Doctor or not, suddenly it didn't matter. It was a person, and they needed his help.

He navigated his way over debris to clamber to the top of the stairs on all fours. He could hear sirens outside now, muffled by the roar of the fire. He reached the top of the stairs, and came across the body the hand belonged to.

It was the Doctor, lying unconscious halfway down the stairs, as though he'd fallen. Jack struggled to focus through his streaming eyes, managing to kneel next to the Doctor and scrambled for a heartsbeat.

He was still going, and Jack breathed a sigh of relief. With no hesitation he slipped his arms underneath the Time Lord, his body limp and unrelenting as he lifted him up to carry to safety.

Rose watched anxiously from outside, tears falling down her face as her mum hugged her in comfort.

“He'll be all right,” she kept telling Rose. “He'll be all right.”

Her words were doing nothing to comfort her. She looked up at the burning building, seconds feeling like hours as the firemen began to fight the out of control blaze. 

Then a figure appeared in the doorway, carrying the body of another. They were instantly drowned in paramedics and firemen.

She ripped from her mum's grip, running towards them and shoving her way through the crowd to try and get to them.

She saw the Doctor lying on the ground surrounded by paramedics. Someone tried to hold her back but she just screamed at them to let her through until she reached the Doctor, taking his head in both hands.

“Oh god, oh god,” she muttered, trying to brush his hair back and getting a palm stained with pure black soot. “Doctor, Doctor wake up ...”

He wasn't moving an inch. As a paramedic moved forward to check his breathing Martha suddenly appeared, striding through the crowd as Rose had done with an air of authority.

“I am Martha Jones, doctor for UNIT, I am taking control of the treatment this patient,” she said sternly with her ID in the air as they all looked at her with an incredible amount of dislike. “Anything you administer, blood, drugs, anything, take it through me. If you want to wrap a bandage around him, ask me first. If you even  _ breathe  _ on him, you had  _ better  _ tell me or you'll be fired quicker than you can say, 'but!' ... Got it?”

“Yes, ma'am,” the paramedics affirmed in unison.

“Good. Let's stabilise the breaks I can see in his legs, treat him for shock and get him into the ambulance,” she ordered.

“Martha,” Rose croaked, now utterly having lost all of her fight and just standing there paralysed as the paramedics shifted the Doctor onto a stretcher.

“Come in the ambulance,” Martha told her. “The Doctor's parents can look after Leah and Alex, yes?”

Rose nodded numbly, glancing at them gathered over by the wall. Tears were streaking down Penelope's face as she held Leah, but that was all Rose got to see as she was ushered into the ambulance.

Martha sat her down beside the Doctor, where she scrambled for his hand. Tears were still falling, so she scrunched up her sleeve and wiped at her eyes.

“See if you can get through to him through the bond,” Martha told her.

Rose nodded silently, taking a breath and looking down at him, struggling not to cry even more. She pressed her fingers to his temple, concentrating to see if she could hear anything.

Nothing.

_ Doctor.  _ She thought hard, throwing love through the bond. It had worked once before, it might work again ...  _ Doctor, please wake up. _

But he didn't.

* * *

 

Time had become irrelevant. Rose saw the little hands on the clock move around the circle with the numbers on, but the positions of the hands had absolutely no significance to her whatsoever.

She was just waiting, waiting for Martha to come and talk to her. She was no doctor but even Rose could tell things were bad this time. Very bad. She had no desire to see the Doctor regenerate again but she had already accepted the fact that regeneration may be their only option. But she would see it through with him. Even if he didn't regenerate, even if the smoke inhalation had given him brain damage and he ended up dribbling in a wheelchair calling her Fanny then she would take care of him, for the rest of her life if she had to. Because even after five years of being together, having the occasional fights just before going to sleep and the obligatory glares and silences over the breakfast table, she was still as helplessly in love with him as she had been when she first met him at the age of 19. She was 25 now. Or was she 24? Maybe 26. 27? She didn't even know her own age anymore, but however long it had been, the years had just flown by. 

So time went on. In that time Jack had called to tell her Leah and Alex were tucked up in bed, and to see if he could get any news. She hadn't had any to give him. He'd offered to come to the hospital but she had politely rejected his offer. She just wanted to see the Doctor, now. She wanted to hold his hand, listen to his heartsbeat and kiss him forever.

* * *

 

It was 1am when Martha appeared again, surgical mask over her face. She pulled down her mask as she made towards Rose, and took a seat next to her.

“Rose,” she said gently. “How are you?”

Rose ignored the question. “Is he ... Is he ..” She couldn't even bring herself to finish the end of that sentence.

“No, he's not dead or regenerated,” Martha said quickly. “I'm not going to lie, Rose, things aren't good. He's suffered severe smoke inhalation causing internal burns in his lungs and throat. Oxygen deprivation may have harmed his brain and he's breathed in a  _ lot _ of carbon monoxide. He's got some deep burns and both of his legs are broken and we may get an infection. I'm going to try all that I can, but ...”

“Just ... don't finish that sentence,” Rose interrupted, holding up a hand.

“Okay, but I'm just warning you. If he was a human, he'd have been dead hours ago.”

“I know.”

“Give it twenty minutes then you can see him, we're going to move him into intensive care.”

* * *

 

Rose had spent the entire night with him, just holding his hand, watching his chest rise and fall, listening to the heart-rate monitor. She became increasingly more and more paranoid that the beeping was suddenly going to stop, but thankfully it didn't.

Her husband had a few burns, some mild, and some heavily bandaged. He had a few bruises, some cuts to his hands, he looked very pale and his legs were both in casts – but beyond that he seemed fine externally. Though she knew most of the damage was internal. She just wished he'd wake up and give her a wink, then go back to sleep again. Just to assure her that he was going to get better.

When Jack had arrived at 9am she had finally resigned to leave the Doctor to go home and get some sleep, leaving Jack to watch him just in case he woke up.

* * *

 

“He's looks like crap,” Jack muttered seriously to Martha when she got in at 11am to check him.

She didn't reply to that verbally, just nodded, running a few checks. 

“How bad is it? Really?” Jack asked.

Martha swallowed, looking at him. “Well ...”

“The truth.”

“...  We might be getting used to his new face tomorrow.”

Jack couldn't find the words to reply to that, just reaching up to brush back the Doctor's hair. 

“I can't order any scans that might help,” Martha confessed quietly. “He's an alien in an alien-fearing world and if anyone, absolutely  _ anyone  _ sees his scans they'll start a riot, and he'll be in trouble. No amount of confidentiality can hide that short of getting the whole of Unit over here.”

Jack thought about that. “How about we move him back to the Tardis?”

Martha quickly shook her head. “The move would kill him, Jack. He can't go anywhere.”

“We can't just sit here!” Jack protested.

“I know, I know,” Martha said quickly, hand on her head. “If things look worse tomorrow, I'll risk it, but not until I absolutely have to.”

Jack fell into silence again, staring at the Doctor's face. His eyes were still bruised.

“Do we know how the fire started?” Martha suddenly wondered.

Jack shrugged. “No idea. There's no evidence of anything either accidental or deliberate. The police'll want to speak to Rose when she's ready.”

“Was anyone else injured?”

Jack shook his head.

“Well that's something,” Martha supposed, looking at the Doctor again. “He'd be happy with that.”

“This isn't fair,” Jack muttered. “Not on him, not on Rose, or his parents, or Leah, or Alex ... Not with everything that's been going on recently.”

“They've had more than their fair share of bad luck,” Martha agreed, then thought for a moment and frowned. “But ...”

“What?” Jack asked, looking up.

“Look, you know about physical trauma, right?” She pulled out her phone and showed him some pictures of pictures and scans of the Doctor’s legs mid-surgery. “How would you say these occurred, as a physician?”

Jack took the phone, frowning. “I’d say blunt force trauma ...”

Martha didn’t answer, just picking up the Doctor’s limp hands and turning them over to show Jack some cuts and scuffs on the Time Lord’s palms. “… Defensive wounds?”

Jack looked at her seriously. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“The bruises on his neck. How did he get them? It’s almost like …”

She trailed off.

“Martha, he probably dragged himself along the carpet,” Jack reasoned. “Something happened, he broke his legs and he had to drag himself out.”

“You’re right,” Martha said, sighing. “Never mind. I'm probably leaping to conclusions.”

* * *

 

Rose woke up at 6pm after Penelope had given her a special Venusian monk concoction to help her sleep. After she woke up she told Ulysses and Penelope what had happened, and then went to get Leah and Alex to tell them the news. She got them both into the living room on the sofa, then sat on the table opposite, smiling as best she could, but she couldn't help her eyes watering slightly at the corners.

Leah pounced on that immediately. “Is Daddy dead?” she asked quietly.

“No,” Rose replied quickly, wiping at her eyes and struggling not to smudge her eye make-up. “He's okay.”

Leah and Alex stared at her, their eyes shining, gazing up at her with such hope. She had to be straight with them. She and the Doctor had always been adamant about that.

“Daddy is very, very badly hurt,” she began, hearing her voice tremble slightly. “He's never been this badly hurt before, not even ... Well, not even last year. And when Time Lords and Ladies are really hurt, if they can't get better ... Then there's this thing called ... regeneration.”

It was a funny feeling. Rose could hear herself talking, but what she was saying didn't seem real at all. 

“You might be able to do it too when you're older. Daddy's done it once before while I've known him, to save himself he completely renewed all his cells ... and he changed his face – his entire body. He used to have big ears and blue eyes.”

“What might he look like?” Leah asked quietly.

“There's no way of knowin'. He could be blonde, he could be short, he could have green eyes or be a bit fat,” Rose replied, smiling slightly. “But even if he changes, his personality might change but he will still love all of us.”

“Is Daddy gonna regenerate, then?” was Leah's next question.

Rose looked at them both, their son, their daughter, two pairs of eyes brown and blue staring up at her sadly. Leah looked worried, but Alex didn't seem to have an expression.

“Not necessarily. This is only if he finds gettin' better too hard to do. But you know your dad, he's really strong and he'll fight this all the way. Regeneration is always the last resort.”

Leah nodded slowly. Alex was still just staring.

“Do you wanna ask me anythin'?” Rose asked.

“Are we gonna go see him?” Leah wondered.

Rose nodded. “We're gonna get somethin' to eat and then Uncle Jack's gonna take us to the hospital.”

Leah just nodded, and Alex continued to stare. His expression gave nothing away, but Rose was positive he'd understood every word.


	19. As A Wise Time Lord Once Said

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor gets worse. They make plans to move him back to the TARDIS.

“Now remember, he looks quite ill and he's in a long sleep,” Martha told Leah and Alex gently as they made their way to intensive care. “But you can talk to him all you like, it might help him to get better faster.”

Leah just nodded as Alex held tighter onto his mum's shirt. Jack, Ulysses and Penelope were following on behind. Things were very quiet between them. Rose had been in two minds about bringing Alex, but when she had tried to leave him with Mickey the little boy had screamed and screamed and nearly destroyed his cot until she finally resigned to take him with her. He may not have uttered a word yet, but she knew he had his daddy's brains and he completely understood what was happening – just watching the world go by with those non-judgemental eyes absorbing every piece of information.

They finally got to the Doctor's private room. There he was, lying just as Rose had left him that morning, though there was a bigger cover over him now to shield some of the bandages and burns and the casts on his legs.

Leah ran to him instantly, staring through the side-rails. “Alee, pohh. Alee,” she coaxed gently, but he didn't react. So she looked up at Martha, anxious. “Can I touch him?”

“Of course you can,” Martha told her gently. Jack moved to grabbed her in both hands and sat her on the bed beside her Dad. She knelt by his side, then leant forward and kissed his cheek.

“ Ei'lei-o'bei y-eon'ha'pia'eon'chea-n, Pohh ,” she said quietly to him. “ Tera wi-naqu lei-o .”

Penelope suddenly stepped forward, looking at Leah. “ Eon'i'holah gallinao ?”

Leah nodded. “ Pohh'aleo'ei .”

Penelope just nodded, moving forwards to look at her son, taking his hand silently.

“What is the current prognosis?” Ulysses asked Martha, his voice as stern and clinical as always.

“Critical, but stable,” Martha replied.

“He can regenerate,” Penelope said gently turning to Rose. “Has he explained or done that with you, yet?”

Rose nodded, tears welling up again. “He did it once before ...” she said with a sniff. “God, I really don't want him to regenerate again ...”

“It may be his only option,” Ulysses reasoned.

“Shut up!” Rose suddenly burst out, covering her face. “Just shut up!”

Penelope and Ulysses glanced at each other, before Penelope moved forward to take her arm, leading her out of the room as Alex and Leah stared at their mum in silence.

* * *

 

“Rose ...” Penelope began gently when they were in the corridor, moving to her to put her arms around her. “Regeneration is so normal for us, he may look different but he'll still ...”

“I know,” Rose interrupted, sniffing. “But I don't want him to, I like him as he is, and I know that's stupid because it's so normal with your race but the last time he did it I didn't exactly react well ... I love him as he is now, and the problem won't be him, it'll be me. I know I'll just feel really strange sleepin' next to him when he looks completely different ...”

“I understand completely,” Penelope assured her. “I know how shocking it must be when it's not in your culture, but I also know that if Theta regenerates he will understand what you are feeling too, and he will do everything to prove to you he still loves you. No matter what he looks like.”

Rose just nodded as Penelope hugged her again, this time for a good few minutes. 

“Everything okay?” asked a voice from the doorway as Jack poked his head out.

Rose pulled away from Penelope, sniffing slightly and offering Jack a watery smile. “Yeah.”

“Rose!” came another voice from down the corridor, and they turned to find Jackie Tyler rushing towards them, instantly engaging her daughter in a hug. “Sorry I'm late, sweetheart, how is he?”

“Not good, Mum,” Rose replied, then started in tears again. 

“Here,” Jack said suddenly, digging into his pocket and bringing out some change and giving it to Jackie. “Get something to eat and drink.”

Jackie nodded at that, accepting the money and taking her daughter's hand to lead her down the corridor, disappearing out the door at the other end.

Jack looked at Penelope, offering a small smile. “She'll come around. She told me about last time he regenerated.”

“What happened, if you don't mind me asking?” Penelope wondered.

“He was caught up in a battle, we all were, so he sent Rose home in the Tardis on an emergency program to save her, knowing he would die. But she was so stubborn, she didn't stay there. She opened the Tardis and looked at the heart, absorbing the time vortex ...”

“Oh my,” Penelope muttered, quickly realising what that meant.

“Yeah. She flew the Tardis back to the battle with the power of a god, saved his life and brought me back to life. But she was dying, so he took the vortex from her and put it back in the Tardis, but it killed him. He regenerated, then went ballistic and flew the Tardis back to Jackie's, and fell into a coma. He hadn't told Rose about regeneration before, and she reacted badly. But pretty soon he'd proved himself to her.”

Penelope nodded, looking back at Theta through the windows of the hospital room lying there, with Leah and Alex next to him. “They really love each other, don't they? Theta and Rose, I mean.”

Jack nodded. “Took them long enough to get it together and now they are, it's like the rest of the Universe is out to get them. But I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have it any other way. Trouble's just the bits in-between, as a wise Time Lord I know once said.”

Penelope just smiled at that.

* * *

 

The month of November began with torrential rain, marking a week since the fire. The Doctor still hadn't regenerated, but also still hadn't batted an eyelid. Rose had been in to see him everyday, spacing it out only with taking care of Leah and Alex, eating and sleeping. At all other times she was next to him, holding his hand tightly. She'd tried to communicate through the bond several times, but hadn't had any success. He seemed to be slipping away more and more with every passing day. 

The rain hammered on the window relentlessly at 8pm on a Saturday. Martha entered to find Rose there as she always was, staring at the Doctor's face, stroking his cheek gently. Martha had run out of words to say to Rose, frankly. So this time the silence remained as she proceeded to check the Doctor over.

“Good evening,” Ulysses' voice suddenly came from behind them as he strolled in. Penelope was nowhere to be seen.

“Good evening,” Martha said courteously. Rose didn't say anything. 

“What's the current situation?” Ulysses asked, still standing in the doorway staring at the Doctor thoughtfully.

“He's still in a coma, sir,” Martha told him. “I would like to scan him but any type of scan would be a last resort. If after a while he still hasn't woken up I'll order a brain scan, but not before. If a single person realises what he is we're in big trouble.”

“This is becoming ridiculous,” Ulysses said, eyebrows lowering. “He shouldn't be here.”

“Your son is in a critical condition, sir,” Martha said sharply. “He needs to be cared for.”

“I am a Time Lord, thank you,” Ulysses grated in return. “If I know anything, I know my son's biology. He should be back in his Tardis and I should be treating him, not these humans who know nothing of how a Gallifreyan body works.”

“He's in the best place ...”

“He is not. He is extremely ill and on the verge of regeneration,” Ulysses snapped, looking at her as though she'd just dribbled on her shirt. “Since you do not seem comfortable with him regenerating, I suggest you listen to me and let him come back to the Tardis so I can treat him.”

“He can't move anywhere, it would kill him.”

“I can make sure he survives the journey,” Ulysses assured her.

Martha stared hard at him for a moment, not fully convinced.

“Or perhaps you do not trust me,” Ulysses suggested loudly.

Martha glanced at Rose, who seemed absorbed in staring at the Doctor. Then she looked back at Ulysses, eyebrows lowering. “You were the last person out before the Doctor, weren't you?” she said quietly, tersely. “Do you know how he broke his legs? The bruising on his neck?”

Ulysses' eyes suddenly turned into fire, instantly getting what she was implying. “Are you suggesting I would harm my own son?!” he grated.

Martha was taken aback by Ulysses' gaze; harsh and unforgiving ... she'd seen that same look on the Doctor so many times before. But she stood her ground. “I ... I'm just saying that there's a lot of things here that don't make sense.”

“Well, when Theta wakes up after I treat him, then I'm sure he will be able to tell us what happened.”

“Treat him?” The conversation was suddenly interrupted by Rose, breaking out of her trance.

“Yes,” Ulysses nodded, stepping forward. “I am a qualified doctor of gallifreyan biology, and I know exactly how Theta's body works. I will be able to give him much better treatment in the Tardis. He needs the care of one of his own species, not these humans who know so little.”

Martha looked at Rose, who looked back at the Doctor lying there. It was true that Ulysses was their best bet for help, not that Rose was quite fully comfortable with him yet. But she was really beginning to feel the walls caving in around her as she gazed at her damaged partner.

“... Okay,” she finally croaked.

“Are you sure?” Martha asked, frowning.

Rose nodded, leaning forward and kissing the comatose Doctor gently. “Let's move him.”

* * *

 

Moving the Doctor the two miles from the hospital back to Torchwood quickly turned into a mass military operation. Penelope and Jack helped Ulysses gather the equipment from the TARDIS infirmary needed to keep the Doctor safe, while Martha got onto UNIT to borrow a few dozen soldiers and Gwen called up Andy to borrow the South Wales Police for the afternoon.

They had a personal ambulance organised especially for the transport. The residents of Cardiff must have thought it was the Queen being transported from the amount of confidentiality, hush and detoured traffic that went into it. All of the hospitals corridors they used were cleared of people; all the roads along the route locked off and secured with UNIT guards and police at the perimeter.

Rose was with the Doctor every step of the way. She remained by his side holding his hand in the ambulance with Ulysses and Martha buzzing around her in the cramped space, making sure he was still breathing. Jack had elected to drive, and was driving under ten miles per hour to keep his precious cargo safe.

Eventually they got back to Torchwood, using the front entrance to wheel the Doctor in and straight to the TARDIS. When the Doctor was finally settled in the Infirmary linked to every necessary monitor with no hitches, everyone gave themselves a congratulatory pat on the back at a job well done, before Ulysses set to work with the help of Penelope. He administered a few new medicines and did a few handheld scans, never revealing what he was thinking or doing, just humming in different pitches depending on whether it was good or bad. After he was done, he left Rose and Penelope to sit by the Doctor's bed.

Then they were back to the waiting game again. But at least he was close, now. Rose felt better with him closer to her.

When bedtime came, Rose decided she would sleep in the infirmary in the bed next to the Doctor's. Just to be close. Her heart was aching, but there was nothing she could do. 

It was up to Ulysses now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alee, pohh. Alee. – Wake up, daddy. Wake up.  
> Ei'lei-o'bei y-eon'ha'pia'eon'chea-n, Pohh, tera wi-naqu lei-o - I don't mind if you have to change your face, Daddy, but please don't  
> Eon'i'holah gallinao? - You can speak gallifreyan?  
> Pohh'aleo'ei – Daddy teaches me


	20. Buttypin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah has to disguise her new adversary as the Doctor begins to recover.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Rose said to Leah gently, holding out a fully repaired cuddlytoy to her over breakfast the next morning. “Sorry it took so long.”

Leah froze, staring at Bundy. She thought that had been a bit of a bad dream, but apparently not. There was Bundy, looking a little roughed up but much better than when she'd last seen her. She was apparently lifeless ... But for how long?

“You okay?” her mum suddenly asked, gazing at her.

She nodded quickly and put on a smile. “Fine!” she said, and began to cram her breakfast down. 

“She looks familiar,” her mum began, staring at Bundy. “What's her name, again?”

“Bu ...” Leah began automatically, and then quickly stopped herself, nearly choking on her breakfast. “Umm ... Bu ... t ... ty ... pi ... n. Buttypin.”

Her mum stared at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Even Leah winced at that. Buttypin? What kind of name was  _ Buttypin? Surely  _ she could've come up with a better name than that. What about Bulley or Bupper? Surely  _ anything  _ was better than 'Buttypin' ...

“Buttypin,” her mum repeated slowly, still with a raised eyebrow.

“Why, don't you like Buttypin?” Leah said quickly, pulling a glare at her mum.

“Oh, no, it's great, Leah,” her mum said quickly.

Leah shoved the last of breakfast into her mouth. “Can I get down?”

Her mum nodded. “Of course.”

Leah nodded, and ran out of the door back to her room, leaving Bundy in the kitchen on the chair to buy some time to think up a plan. To her complete surprise she found Alex in there, obviously having escaped from his room, shaking Floppy around and giggling at the way at her ears flapped about.

“Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!” Floppy constantly exclaimed as she was shaken vigorously by the boy.

“Alex!” Leah said quickly, running forward and taking Floppy from him, holding her tightly to her chest. “Don't do that to Floppy.”

The boy looked disappointed, so Leah sat Floppy down – who promptly groaned and collapsed sideways – and went to her toy chest to pull out a remote control car, setting it down on the floor and giving Alex the remote.

“You can play with this,” Leah told him informatively. “You push this stick thing forward to make it go forward, and this one makes it tur–”

She was cut off in mid-flow as Alex grabbed the stick she'd indicated in his fist and jerked it forward. The toy car shot off in a blaze of speed and promptly crashed into the wall. 

Alex shrieked in delight and began to mash the controls, slamming his palm on the remote with enthusiasm. The poor car didn't know whether it was coming or going as it whizzed around the room, nearly ran over Floppy who squealed in alarm and made to the door just as it opened to reveal their mum, who nearly fell over it.

“Leah!” their mum yelped, catching herself on the door frame as the toy car crashed into the opposite wall.

“Not me!” Leah protested, pointing at Alex.

“Alex,” their mum grunted, stooping down to pick up the car, its wheels still zooming around. “Be careful where you're drivin’ that thing, yeah? Unless you want two parents in the infirmary!”

Alex and Leah simultaneously froze, looking up at her standing there.

Their mum’s face fell. “Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Just be careful, yeah?” She placed the car back on the carpet, and within seconds it had sprung into life again and crashed into the wall next to the door.

“You forgot Butt ... thingy,” Leah’s mum told her, holding out Bundy. 

“Buttypin,” Leah said indignantly.

“Sorry, Buttypin,” her mum clarified, then turned to Alex who was giggling and still mashing the car controls. “Alex,” she began. He obviously hadn't heard her, far too absorbed in the car. “Alex,” she said a little louder. No reaction. “ALEX!”

The boy finally looked up.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

He shook his head, and went back to his car.

“Obviously don't need me anymore then,” their mum muttered, looking back at Leah who was staring at Bundy. “Leah, can you look after Alex? I'll be in the infirmary with Daddy if you need me.”

Leah nodded, if a little absently, still staring at the bear. Their mum glanced between them both, sighed, and left.

Instantly Bundy exploded into life, sneering and growling at Leah angrily.

“Leah!” the bear roared.

“Bundy!” Leah said quickly, tightening her hold on the angry bear. “Bundy, I ...”

“Don't make excuses now, Leah!” the bear grated, still struggling to get out of her hands. “I'm going to KILL you!”

“Bundy, just listen to me!” Leah yelled authoritatively. She hadn't really expected that to work, and of course it didn't. Instead, Bundy shrieked and made for her face again. After a few moments struggle and Floppy trying to pull Bundy off of Leah's face, they finally got her off and Leah used her entire body weight to pin Bundy to the floor.

“In the drawer!” Floppy shrieked, darting over to the chest of drawers and pulling one open. Leah managed to drag the howling Bundy across the floor and throw her inside the drawer, then quickly slammed it shut and sat her back up against it. The shrieks were muffled now, the entire chest of drawers jolting as Bundy fought to get out. Then things went quiet.

Leah breathed a sigh of relief, and then she realised she was being watched. She looked at Alex who was staring at her, and had been for quite a while.

“Oh ... Alex,” Leah began, realising there was no way she was going to convince him that was all in his mind. “Umm ... Can you keep a secret?”

* * *

 

Rose sat in the infirmary, watching Ulysses buzz around administering medication to the still comatose Doctor. As always he said nothing, and then left her to it.

She gazed at the Doctor for a long time. The bruises under his eyes had gone now, and the bruises on his neck were almost completely gone. The worst of his burns were beginning to clear up. He did look a lot better in the single day he'd been back in the TARDIS with his father treating him, there was no denying that.

Time passed, and soon it was lunchtime. Rose was just considering going to get some food and checking Leah and Alex, and began looking for some paper to scribble down a note for the Doctor in case he woke up. She knew it was her way of coping – he probably wouldn't wake up and read it, as the pile of notes on the bedside table she left whenever she even popped out to go to the toilet were beginning to build. But just as she began to scribble the note there was a sudden groan from in front of her, and Rose's heart lurched as she forgot the food and note instantly, jumping to her feet and looking down at the Doctor anxiously.

“Doctor?” she asked, wishing, hoping, praying ...

He groaned again, and opened his eyes to slits, looking up at her. He smiled at her briefly and she giggled insanely at the fact he had actually smiled at her. It was the reassurance she'd been craving for so long.

“Hey,” she said gently, taking his hand and squeezing it. 

He squeezed back, moving his other hand to his chest and breathing out, eyes closing again. “I don't feel well,” he said in a breathy, croaked voice.

“No kiddin',” she said, brushing back his hair caringly. “Where are you hurtin'?”

“Headache,” he grunted. “Legs, chest, throat, arms, eyes ... everything.”

“You're on as much painkiller as your dad says you can have,” Rose told him gently. 

“How long have I been asleep?” he asked in a murmur.

“You've been in a coma for just over a week.”

He winced at that. “That's bad,” he breathed.

“Both your legs are broken and you're pretty bruised and burnt up. Martha said somethin' about carbon monoxide and your throat and lungs bein' burnt.”

“Feels like it,” he muttered.

“Your dad's treating you, we just moved you here from the hospital yesterday,” she told him, running a hand over his bare chest, fingers through the hair.

“'Kay,” he murmured. “Tired.”

“Just go back to sleep,” Rose told him gently, kissing him. “But thank you for wakin' up.”

“You're welcome,” he muttered absently, and relaxed again. Pretty soon he was asleep once more. But now Rose was smiling, and she leant forward to kiss him once more. She dived for the pen and paper she'd dropped and scribbled a new note anyway, putting it on the bedside table before skipping off happily to the kitchen.

* * *

 

The Doctor was awake for the inevitable tide of people that came later that evening when they had been told he'd woken up. Penelope, Alex, Leah, Martha, Mickey, Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Rhys with Anwen all appeared. Even Jackie came with Tony in tow. Rose watched the Doctor with a snigger as he tiredly conferred politely with everyone, enduring a lot of hugs and being left with a mountain of grapes and get well soon sentiments on cards.

After the massive human tide had washed back out again, Ulysses checked him over. As ever, he hummed and harred, put the sonic screwdriver down on the side table and left without another word. When Jack entered a little while later he found the Doctor and Rose having a snog.

“Mind if I join in?” he asked with a grin, taking the second seat beside the bed.

They pulled apart and Rose grinned back at him. “Want a grape?” she wondered, gesturing to the mountain on the next bed.

“No, thanks, don't really like grapes,” he admitted. “I sorted out Leah and Alex for you, Leah's eating and Alex is in the nursery, asleep. I double-locked the door just in case.”

“Thanks,” Rose replied.

“How are you feeling?” Jack wondered, looking at the Doctor.

“Bleh,” the Doctor replied simply, his voice still very breathy and croaky.

“I need to run the osteo-regenerator over your legs,” Rose said, kissing him briefly again before getting up to retrieve the device. The Doctor just hummed approvingly, scratching at his neck and relaxing again.

“Can I help?” Jack asked as Rose came back.

“Yeah, please,” Rose replied taking the sonic from the side table before drawing the cover off of the Doctor, revealing the multitudes of burns, bandages and bruises that had been hidden, revealing he was only in a pair of white shorts. She ran the sonic down the cast on the Doctor's left leg. It cracked open to reveal a stitched up and spectacularly bruised and scarred leg. The Doctor looked at the sight with interest, then relaxed back on the pillows before looking at Jack.

“Thanks for saving me,” the Doctor told him sincerely.

“My pleasure,” Jack assured him. “Found you halfway down the stairs covered in blood and ash.”

“What do you remember?” Rose asked the Doctor gently, running the osteo-regenerator down his left leg.

“It's kind of hazy,” he croaked. “The cat jumped out of my arms and my father appeared at the doorway and got it. I ran out the door and down the stairs, then ... I decided to check everyone was out on my way down in case we missed someone. But while I was checking number three, a wall collapsed on top of me. It broke both of my legs. I managed to crawl to the stairs, but then halfway down I passed out.”

“Should've known,” Rose said, sighing.

“What?”

“Nearly killin' yourself on the small off-chance someone might've been inside.”

“I had to check,” the Doctor insisted.

“I know,” Rose said gently, leaning up to kiss him again. “Just get out faster next time, yeah?”

“I'll try,” he said as Jack laughed.

“Jack, can you lift his leg?” Rose asked and Jack nodded, carefully holding below the Doctor's knee with one hand and his ankle in the other, and lifted slowly and carefully. The Doctor grunted and leant back, quickly covering his face with his hands, riding the wave of pain that of course came with it.

“I can see right up your shorts,” Jack told him, staring.

“Stop looking then,” the Doctor replied in a grunt, still covering his face.

“I can't,” Jack admitted, still staring.

“Done!” Rose announced quickly, getting a new cast for his leg. Jack lowered his leg back down into one half, and she sealed up the cast with the sonic. They repeated this on the other leg, Jack lifting so Rose could run the osteo-regenerator under.

“There it is again,” Jack mused.

“Jack,” Rose warned lowly.

“I can't help it, it's totally in my face,” he protested.

Rose sighed in mock despair and got a new cast, before they sealed it up. Rose pulled the cover back down, and kissed the Doctor.

“Okay?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Can I get you anythin’?” Rose asked.

He shook his head. “Need to get up,” he murmured.

Rose pushed him down gently by the shoulders. “You’re goin’ nowhere. Just stay here, be still and think happy thoughts, yeah?”

Clearly he didn’t have enough energy to fight her as he relaxed, his head lulling on the pillow. “Where are the kids?” he muttered.

“Fine, Jack’s taken care of them,” Rose replied, brushing back his hair. “God, look at you, you mess,” she moaned, “you’ll feel better soon. Love you.”

“Love you too,” the Doctor murmured, closing his eyes.


	21. Bottom of the Toy Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulysses attacks the Doctor again. Leah’s problem with her toys slowly becomes worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, shock! It's me! :P Shouldn't be too long until done now, I just have a few chapters left to rewrite :D

The Doctor awoke with a jerk, eyes snapping open to find a dark figure looming over him in the middle of the night. But before he could react, a hand clamped over his mouth and his father's face appeared in the little light.

“Father?” the Doctor croaked, muffled behind the hand.

“Shush,” was all Ulysses said, and suddenly the Doctor felt something on the side of his neck. There was a click and a hiss.

“What are you doing?” he tried to say, but it only came out as a long breath, which startled him into coughing. But that didn't make a sound either ...

His father had  _ paralysed his voice box. _

Why? Why would he ...

Ulysses moved to the Doctor's legs, sonic in hand. The Doctor felt a rising panic in him and he tried to yell for Rose, who was sleeping on the bed next in the row, forgetting he couldn't speak ...

“I wouldn't do that,” Ulysses whispered gently. “I don't want to have to fake an accident for her again.”

The words struck like daggers in the Doctor's hearts, and suddenly he was absolutely terrified in a way he'd never felt before. His father – was it even his father? – was the one who had done all this. The car accident, the fire ... Why could he remember?! 

“I didn't realise you had an osteo-regenerator,” Ulysses whispered. “I'm so very sorry, Theta, but I need to know where you are at all times.”

He sonicked the casts open, and took hold of the Doctor's right leg. Instantly the Doctor knew what he was going to do ...

And seconds later, he did it.

The Doctor instinctively tried to scream in pain, but his voicebox wouldn't let him. It came out as a hard breath that choked out through soundless gasps. He flailed out his arms instead, catching the glass on the bedside table and sending it smashing to the floor.

“Mmm?” suddenly came a tired voice from the next bed, the shifting of bedsprings. The Doctor froze in terror. He couldn't let her find out, he couldn't let Ulysses hurt her ...

He stayed absolutely still, trying desperately to keep his breathing under control as the agony from his leg came out in unrelenting waves from his ankle to his brain.

Rose shifted, and fell back to sleep.

“Well done,” Ulysses whispered to him, and the Doctor felt incredibly sick at the fact he was actually  _ smiling.  _ But before the Doctor could react, his second leg re-broke in one swift movement.

The pain in his legs was complete agony, but he couldn't do anything, he was completely helpless. This man had broken his legs and left him for dead in a fire he had probably started, caused Rose to be in that car accident ... He had probably made the TARDIS sick and slipped aspirin into Rose's drink as well to poison Alex. If Rose woke up he'd probably have her dead in seconds, but equally the Doctor couldn't run away on his broken legs ... Which of course had been the intention of Ulysses all along.

_ 'I know you can hear me!'  _ the Doctor screamed in his mind, struggling to focus through the horrific pain.  _ 'What do you want from me?! Why can't I remember?!' _

Ulysses said nothing, just resealing the casts and moving back up to his head, placing a his fingers on the Doctor's temple. Then instantly he knew why he didn't remember.

_ 'Get off!'  _ the Doctor screamed in his mind, trying to pull his head away, but he couldn't exactly go far. Then everything started going fuzzy, the memory of this moment rippling and fading from his own head. And he couldn't do anything about it.

_ 'I'll figure you out!'  _ he yelled in his head.  _ 'Then I'll destroy you!' _

“Oh, I have no doubt about that,” Ulysses whispered in reassurance. “I pray you do. Good night, Theta.”

Then suddenly the Doctor realised his legs were screaming in pain, but he had no idea why. Oh well, he'd probably moved them and knocked them against something in his sleep, he reasoned. And he  _ was _ pretty sleepy. He was just going to go back to sleep now ...

He closed his eyes, and for some reason, he found it so easy to sleep despite his legs.

* * *

 

The next morning, Leah decided she was going to have to confront Bundy. Better sooner rather than later, as the longer she waited the more Bundy would probably build her rage.

“Bundy ...” Leah began quietly to the the drawer that now had a chair wedged up against it. “I'm gonna let you out, okay? Please don't try an’ kill me.”

There was only silence from the drawer. Leah took a deep affirming breath, Floppy and Francine watching from behind the toy box, peeking out the side. Floppy was hiding her eyes behind her paws.

Leah pulled away the chair, and pulled open the drawer. There was Bundy, lying on her clothes as a lifeless teddy bear. She took her out and held her at arm's length in both hands.

“Bundy ...” she began.

“There's nothing you can say, Leah!” Bundy sobbed. “You broke my heart!”

Leah felt her own two hearts crack a little with those words. “Bundy, please, just hear me out. That's all I'm asking. Just lemme tell you what happened and then you can decide whether to try and kill me, promise.”

Bundy stopped moving, and looked up at Leah with her big eyes.

“Okay, Bundy, I'm really sorry, but I hadda blow you up. Uncle Koschei put the bomb in you and I had to use it to save my Mummy and Daddy and my brother. It's not that I didn't love you. I didn't replace you. I did love you, Bundy. When I knew I had to blow you up it wasn't easy ... and if you loved me then you would understand too. Please forgive me, Bundy?”

Bundy sniffed. “I ... don't think I can, Leah.”

“Please, let's just start where we left off? I'll always play with you.”

“I can't,” the bear sobbed.

“You can never love me again?”

“I can't trust myself to do that,” Bundy replied quietly. “You really hurt me, Leah.”

Leah sighed. “I guess you'll be trying to kill me now then. Well, let's do this.”

She set the bear down on the floor. But Bundy didn't move.

“Just leave me at the bottom of the toy box,” Bundy said quietly. “I don't think I can play with you again.”

Leah sighed again. “Okay,” she said. “Are you sure?”

Bundy nodded. Leah took the bear and got to her feet, moving to the toy box and pushing the other toys aside to place Bundy at the bottom. Then with no words, she pushed the toys back over her and closed the lid.

* * *

 

It took a few days for the Doctor's voice to return to normal and for him to feel like getting up. Martha had been to one to check if he was actually ready, but announced his legs were still healing and he was going to have to move around in a wheelchair for a while.

He wanted to have breakfast in the kitchen in an attempt to feel normal. Rose got him a t-shirt and loose fitting trousers, helping him to get dressed before he wheeled himself to the kitchen. He managed to make everything on his own, though Rose had to reach up for the teabags and sugar.

While they were in the middle of breakfast Leah walked in, looking a little lost in her thoughts.

“Leah,” the Doctor called, giving her a smile. She only just seemed to notice him, then she grinned a broad grin and ran up to him, hugging him around the middle.

“Good morning!” she said happily.

He beamed back. "Morning. Miho'afa qe'gear? N-eon'piak?" he asked her gently, stroking her head.

Leah glanced at Rose. "Wi-naqu, Pohh. Afa'vivi-o."

"Piak-o, lo'manai-o."

Rose stared at them, trying to see if she could figure out what they were saying, but she couldn't get it at all.

"Tera eon'holah'lo-n!" Leah insisted.

The Doctor looked aghast. "Je'lei'eon'fami ye ei, Leah, wi-lera! Guijo eon'lei-o'oh'jinsho'mifa-n."

"You're purposely doing this so I can't understand you, aren't you?" Rose realised.

The Doctor ignored her, looking back at Leah. "Holah'bula'ei."

"Prea... n-ei'fami'ei'quara'qe," she told him quietly, scuffing her shoes.

"Eon'fami?" the Doctor repeated, look a little worried. Rose thought for a moment. That could mean something bad. Or confusing.

"Wi-naqu, Pohh, ei'i-o'holah'eon," Leah replied anxiously.

"Is someone dead?" Rose wondered seriously. She was ignored again.

"Ei'wi-irak'mifa, Leah, jhu eon'holah-o'ei?" the Doctor said in a rising inflection, so it had to be a question, Rose sussed.

"Qe'afa... Eee... Ianam," Leah muttered, looking at the floor.

The Doctor's face suddenly turned very serious and concerned. "Leah... Ei'wi-fami..."

"She's broken somethin', hasn't she?" Rose said in a triumphant tone, but still no one paid any attention to her.

"Lei-o'piak, Pohh! Ei'afa'shikla. Lera!" Leah insisted, and pulled away from him.

The Doctor sighed. "Ei'mina'eon, Leah. Ei'jikoa'eon, afa leichanoe-n."

"Ei'afa-n. Ei'mina'eon leir, Pohh. Ei'stara'ei'i'holah'eon-n, tera ei'i-o," she said, then open the cupboard door, took some chocolate and ran out of the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Rose asked seriously.

"Nothing," the Doctor said innocently, taking another bite of his breakfast.

"I knew you teaching her gallifreyan would be a mistake," Rose muttered. "Now you've got your own little secret language to use and point and giggle at me so I don't understand."

He just beamed at that, and took another bite.

* * *

 

A week went by, and to Rose's absolute shock, the Doctor seemed to be getting worse and worse. His legs still weren't healed, he was becoming more and more lethargic and he kept complaining of headaches and pains. He'd since moved from the infirmary back to their bedroom, and it was a Thursday morning when Rose woke him, telling him breakfast was in the kitchen.

Two hours later, and the Doctor still wasn't getting up. Rose had taken his breakfast to him, but he hadn't eaten even a bite. He hadn't drank any tea. When Leah and Alex had tried to get him up he'd barely reacted that either.

“Doctor?” Rose coaxed softly to him a little later, trying to get him to eat some lunch but it clearly wasn't going to happen. He felt a little off through the bond. “I'm gettin' worried, here.”

“Get my parents,” he replied shortly in a weak murmur. “Don't feel well.”

* * *

 

“He hasn't eaten breakfast or lunch, he's just been lyin' there half-asleep. He asked me to get you.”

Ulysses nodded, moving forward with a stethoscope in his hand to check as Penelope hovered at the doorway. Once satisfied with his heartsbeat Ulysses leant forward, pulling up the Doctor's eyelids to check. Then he took his temperature with a device in his ear. It beeped and he checked the readout, and hummed. He peeled back one of the bandages on his arms that still covered a burn, and harred.

“I believe he has an infection,” Ulysses summarised. “And he is not healing as fast as he should.”

“He just seems to be getting worse,” Rose muttered. “Should we move him back to the infirmary?”

Ulysses simply shook his head, and looked down at his son. “Theta? Talk to me, boy,” he coaxed.

“What?” the Doctor murmured.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired, headache, sick, hot,” he muttered shortly, still keeping his eyes closed.

Penelope moved forward, kissing his cheek. “Don't worry, we will do the work, Theta,” she told him, then turned to Rose. “If you could get some cold water and a couple of sponges, we'll try and cool him off. Ulysses, will you get something for his headache, some antibiotics for the infection and some fluids for him to drink?”

Ulysses gave one sharp nod, and left without another word. Rose ran to the bathroom and got what was needed, emerging back into the bedroom twenty seconds later before they began to try and bring down his temperature.

“God, this isn't fair,” Rose muttered, dabbing the sponge over the Doctor's sweaty forehead as he lay there, seemingly lost in his own world.

“It's just an infection, we have effective antibiotics for it,” Penelope assured her. “It will pass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miho'afa qe'gear? N-eon'piak? - How is that thing? You were worried?  
> Wi-naqu, Pohh. Afa'vivi-o. - Please, Daddy. Not here.  
> Piak-o, lo'manai-o. - Don't worry, she doesn't understand.  
> Tera eon'holah'lo-n! - But you will tell her!  
> Je'lei'eon'fami ye ei, Leah, wi-lera! Guijo eon'oh-o'jinsho'mifa-n. - What do you take me for, Leah? Really! Obviously you don't want people to know.  
> Holah bula ei. - Talk to me.  
> Prea... n-ei'fami'ei'quara'qe. - Well... I think I sorted it.  
> Eon'fami? - You think?  
> Wi-naqu, Pohh, ei'i-o'holah'eon. - Please, Daddy, I cannot tell you.  
> Ei'wi-irak'mifa, Leah, jhu eon'holah-o'ei? - I'm dying to know, Leah, why can't you tell me?  
> Qe'afa... Eee... Ianam. - It is... Umm... Complicated.  
> Leah... Ei'wi-fami... - Leah... I really think...  
> Lei-o'piak, Pohh! Ei'afa'shikla. Lera! - Do not worry, Daddy! I am okay. Really!  
> Ei'mina'eon, Leah. Ei'jikoa'eon, afa leichanoe-n. - I love you, Leah. I'm trusting you, so be careful.  
> Ei'afa-n. Ei'mina'eon leir, Pohh. Ei'stara'ei'i'holah'eon-n, tera ei'i-o. - I will. I love you too, Daddy. I wish I could tell you, but I cannot.


	22. Night Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor has a rough night.

After they'd sponged him down, Rose had found him some fresh thin pyjamas and dressed him in them, before covering him with a thin blanket and kissing him for good measure. He was beginning to mumble, talking incoherently about things Rose couldn't make sense of, words and sounds that had utterly no logical progression from one to the other. Jackie came down for a visit that evening to help in what way she could.

“No ... With the ... Eyes ... Not her's ... The thing in the back ... Green, I think ...” the Doctor murmured quietly to himself, eyes closed, the words somehow merging altogether into one word.

“Oh God, poor thing,” Jackie said softly, staring at the Time Lord. 

“Rose ...” he suddenly whined.

“Yeah?” Rose asked, squeezing his hand. 

“The ...” He stopped, took a deep breath, and tried again. A string of incomprehensible words came out.

“What's he sayin'?” Jackie wondered.

“I dunno,” Rose confessed. “His dad said he might start hallucinating. His fever’s so high.”

“Please ...” he gasped. “Hurt ...”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jackie muttered. “Can you hear me? It's Jackie.”

“Jackie ...” he breathed, opening his eyes just a little to look at her. He looked very zoned out. “'M sorry ...”

“What for, sweetheart? You've got nothin' to be sorry about.”

“It's called ... regeneration. Rose's mad. Love her ... I hurt ...”

“He thinks this is after he changed his face?” Jackie realised.

“I should get his parents ...” Rose muttered, already getting to her feet. “This is gettin' bad.”

“Hurry,” Jackie told her as she ran out the door.

“Jackie!” the Doctor suddenly yelled, grabbing her arm.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“I couldn't ... I couldn't stop him ... Hurt so much ... It's a lie, all a lie ... I tried but he stopped me ... Rose ... Protect her ... My mind ... It's all changed ... He's a lie, he's bad, he'll kill us ... He's behind you!”

Jackie blinked, looking behind her. There was no one there. “I'm sorry, Doctor, I don't understand,” she told him gently, stroking back his hair. The sudden heat was like touching a hotplate and she yelped in surprise, drawing her hand away. She stared down at him in absolute horror.

“Bloody hell!” she exclaimed, pulling back the blanket to reveal his recently changed clothes were absolutely drenched in sweat. “Oh god, Doctor ...”

“My head, it hurts ...” he croaked.

“Rose is gettin' help, okay?” Jackie told him. “You'll feel better soon, it's okay...”

Rose came back in accompanied by Penelope, who took one look at the situation, and launched into action. “Rose, get water for him to drink, and plenty of it. He's going to end up dehydrated. We're going to soak him in the bath.” Rose nodded and ran out the door as Penelope turned to Jackie. “Jackie, could you start undressing him please, I'll run a cold bath.”

Jackie nodded, and started trying to peel off the sweat-drenched clothes. Every time her hand accidentally brushed his skin it felt like she'd been burnt.

“Mother ...” the Doctor gasped, looking up at Jackie in a daze.

Jackie paused to consider this. “Well, I sorta am,” she reasoned, finally getting off his pyjama shirt. “What is it, love?”

“I don't wanna go to the Academy today...”

“Don't worry, you're not, sweetheart,” Jackie assured him. “No school today.”

She finally got him down to his boxers, just as Penelope came running back in. Without even discussing it she took his upper half and Penelope took his lower, being careful not to jolt his legs, and they carried him to the bathroom. They slowly eased him down into the cold water, and alarmingly the water hissed like dropping cold water onto the cooker.

* * *

 

The Doctor felt pretty alarmed. What were they  _ doing  _ to him? What was this stuff? Really, what was it? 

“Acid!” the Doctor shrieked in realisation, trying to fight them off but he didn't have any energy left to use. “Get me out,” he gasped. “Not the acid!”

Someone said something to him but it was like his ears were clogged up. Like a plug in the bath. Wait a minute, he was  _ in _ a bath. Why was he in a bath, exactly?

Suddenly time seemed to blur out for about five seconds until he found himself lying in the water, two people sloshing cold water over him. His entire body still felt like it was on fire, the water sizzling ineffectually around him. He was like a sausage, he thought.

“I like sausages,” he murmured quietly.

“It's not cold enough,” one of the people said to the other. “We need ice ...”

The other person nodded back, and ran out of the door just as someone else came running in. God, it was busy in here, he thought. Why was everyone running around his bathroom? It was  _ his _ . He didn't say they could come in here.

“Get him to drink that, he's losing a lot of fluids,” the person sloshing water on him said.

“Doctor,” a voice said next to his ear. He knew that voice, but for some reason he couldn't quite place a name to it. “Here, drink up.”

He found a straw suddenly in his mouth, and for a moment he forgot what to do with it. He frowned, looking at the person next to him. It was a young blonde woman. She was really pretty. He decided to tell her that.

“Eon'afa’wi-kahsi,” he murmured.

“What did he say?”

“He said you're very beautiful.”

“Thank you, Doctor. You're beautiful too. Now drink the water.”

“The what?” he asked, dazed.

“The water. Suck on the straw.”

Then he realised he had a straw in his mouth that was in a glass of water. He obediently sucked, and ended up sucking too hard and choking on the water, coughing it back out again.

“Slower,” the pretty woman said gently.

He did so, gulping down the water just as someone else came in.

“I hope this is enough,” the new person said.

“Should be, throw it all in.”

“Keep drinking,” the pretty woman told him, kissing his forehead. His feet had suddenly turned very cold. Then the cold spread rapidly up his legs and to every other part of his body, spreading until the fog began to disappear slowly from his mind...

They were still sloshing the freezing water onto him, then he realised the beautiful woman was actually his bonded partner. Well, that was good. The people washing the water onto him were, in turn, his mum and his mother-in-law. And he was only wearing a pair of boxers that were soaked and really struggling to contain everything he had.

“Whoa!” he yelled, pushing the water away from his mouth and quickly covering himself.

“He's back,” Rose giggled.

He looked at her, wide eyed. “Rose!” he whined. 

“Stay still, Theta,” his mum said gently. “We're cooling you off. Your fever spiked and you started hallucinating.”

“Mum, can you change the bedsheets?” Rose asked her mum anxiously. “They're in the bottom drawer.”

Jackie nodded, and ran out of the bathroom.

He was forced a little more water which he gulped down, taking Rose's hand for reassurance.

“My head's killing me,” he muttered through chattering teeth.

“It's okay, when you've got your temperature down I'll wrap you up warm and dim all the lights,” Rose told him gently, kissing him. 

“Rose?” he asked quietly after a few seconds.

“Yeah?”

“I'm sorry,” he croaked.

“Because gettin' an infection was completely your fault,” Rose said sarcastically. “It's okay, we're dealin' with it. Just concentrate on gettin' better, yeah? I don't like seein' you like this.”

He started shivering, looking up at her caring face, so beautiful. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Doctor,” she whispered, and kissed him once more. “Just relax. I'll look after you.”

“Okay, let's get him out,” Penelope said, lifting his lower half as Rose took the upper, moving him out of the tub and sitting him on the floor. Rose wrapped a towel around his shoulders, rubbing him over and drying his hair, making it all stand on end.

“Here we go,” Jackie said, coming back in holding a bundle of clothes, giving them to Penelope. The Doctor caught sight of some underwear on top of the pile, and quickly realised that meant Jackie had gone through his underwear drawer.

“Okay,” Rose began, taking him under the arms and pulling him up so his bum was off the floor. “If I lift him under his arms then can someone pull down his ...”

“Hold on!” the Doctor yelped. 

“Doctor, seriously, we need to change you else you're gonna have an icy groin. You can't stand up so it's a two-person job, okay?”

“And I think everyone here's seen it all already, sweetheart,” Jackie told him seriously.

“But ...” the Doctor began, looking up at Rose pleadingly.

“Do you want my mum or your mum?” Rose interrupted smoothly.

A loud whine tore out of his throat. “That's like choosing whether to die by poison or stabbing ...”

“Choose one!” Rose demanded.

“Oh, blimey, err ...”

“Oh, for god's sake, give it 'ere,” Jackie suddenly exclaimed, grabbing his boxers and doing the job. The Doctor shrieked as Penelope and Rose both giggled at his expense.

* * *

 

They'd laid him back into a freshly changed bed, Rose having changed his bandages and casts. The pus from the infection of his burns was clearing, but they were still swollen and red. After she finished she tucked him in as though he were four-years-old and kissed his forehead gently.

“The way my mum used to take my temperature,” she told him, grinning. After his little burst of energy after the bath he'd quickly weakened again, now just lying on his side under the covers with his eyes already half-closed in a state of lethargy. “Do you need anythin'?”

“Turn off the lights,” he grunted.

“Still got that headache?” she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper out of courtesy as she reached to the bedside lamp and dimmed it as low as it could go.

“Yeah,” he croaked.

“I'll get you somethin' to help,” she said, kissing him again before getting up to leave.

She met Leah in the corridor with Alex, and quickly realised in the blaze of the evening she'd completely forgotten about them. She quickly dropped down to take Alex in both arms, kissing him.

“Oh, I'm so sorry, you two. Daddy came down with a fever.”

“S'okay,” Leah insisted, smiling. “Uncle Jack got a pizza for me and him and he mushed up cereal in lots of milk and gave it to Alex.”

The man himself appeared in the corridor, giving her a smile and a wave. 

Rose beamed at him. “Thanks Jack, you're a lifesaver.”

“How is he?” Jack asked, moving forward to scoop up Leah, who yelped and quickly grabbed onto his neck.

“We got his fever down but now he's all sleepy and headachey again,” Rose muttered.

“He'll be all right,” Jack assured her. “You just concentrate on him, I'll put Leah and Alex to bed.”

“Penelope could do that ...” Rose said quickly.

“No, it's okay,” he told her. “I’m loving it.”

“You're wasted in Torchwood, you need to be a nanny,” Rose joked, laughing.

He just grinned at that, taking Alex from her in the other arm. “Come on, you two. Let's leave your mommy to it.”

* * *

 

The Doctor woke up the next morning to a fresh new shooting pain in his legs and a toddler in the crook of his arm. Rose wasn't there. He looked down to see Alex lying there, curled up under the cover. The instant Alex realised his daddy was awake he opened his eyes and grinned up at him.

The Doctor smiled weakly and kissed him, barely having any energy with his headache still pounding behind his eyes. “Did you sit on my legs, Alex? Cos that bloody hurts.”

Of course, Alex didn't reply. Instead, he sat up and reached inside his pyjama shirt, pulling out a piece of paper.

“What's that?” the Doctor asked. Alex gave it to him, and the Doctor opened it.

' **REMEMBER** ' was all it said.

The Doctor frowned. Alex didn't write this. It was ... his writing. His own writing. It was shaky and diagonal and the size and shape changed as it went along, but it was definitely his writing. He couldn't remember writing this. What was he supposed to remember exactly? The awkward writing would imply he was in pain or fighting weakness at the time he wrote it.

Surely he'd remember  _ that? _

The door suddenly burst open, and Alex squealed and dived under the cover again, snuggling up to his father for protection as Ulysses strolled in, and saw the Doctor lying there with his eyes open.

“Good morning, Theta,” he said, and then saw the note in the Doctor's hand. “What's that?”

“I don't know,” the Doctor confessed, holding it up. “It says ‘remember’. It's my writing.”

“Hmm,” Ulysses murmured, and took the note from his hand, looking at it. “Probably nothing, my boy. You were very feverish last night, so I'm told.” He folded the piece of paper back up and slipped it inside his breast pocket. “Your mother sent me to ask you if you'd like breakfast.”

Then the Doctor realised Alex was tugging on his pyjama shirt. He looked down, and Alex was now sitting up next to him, tugging on his shirt and pointing at Ulysses.

“Alex, hold on a sec,” he said, looking back at his father who was gazing at the boy. “Yeah, I'll get up. Alex, why are you –”

“I will put him in the nursery, shall I?” Ulysses asked very quickly with his eyes fixed on Alex. The second he'd finished the sentence Alex burst into tears and held onto his Dad even tighter ...

Then everything neatly clicked into place in the Doctor's head.

“You ...” he began with wide eyes, staring at Ulysses. He made to yell for Rose, but suddenly his father's hand was on his mouth. He got a horrible sense of deja vu ...

“I'm sorry, my boy. I'll tell your mother you can't make it to breakfast.”

He put his fingers on the Doctor's temple, and very soon the Doctor began to feel very sleepy, and not quite sure what had just happened ... Had it all been a dream?

His father was standing over him, his fingers drawing away from the Doctor's temple. He frowned slightly. What was his father doing? Why was he …?

Then he saw his father's eyes flicker to his right. Alex, the Doctor realised. Alex was ... crying?! He could see his son now, sitting there next to him crying a fountain. He was absolutely terrified. Terrified of ... of Ulysses.

Ulysses began to reach forward to the boy.

Then suddenly a paternal instinct kicked in. The Doctor didn't know why, but he knew Alex was suddenly in mortal danger. He launched out and grabbed his father around the neck, squeezing as hard as he could and screaming for him to get away. His father looked surprised to say the least, but his strangulation didn't seem to be doing anything. Ulysses easily peeled the Doctor's hands from his neck, so the Doctor sent his fists flying instead, launching up to body slam him into the floor. His body was screaming in pain but that didn't matter. He was going to do whatever it took to get Ulysses away from his son.

Finally Ulysses threw him off, and he hit the wall. He was on his feet in seconds, his legs absolute agony, grabbing a chair and hitting his father with it. It broke on impact, sending Ulysses crashing to the floor in a rain of wood.

“Don't touch him!!!” he could hear himself screaming, but it was like it was someone else completely. His headache was somehow even worse than before, to the point of completely blinding him. But he couldn't worry about that. His son was in massive danger. He could still hear the boy crying in his ears and with every second that ticked by the Doctor was getting angrier and angrier that this thing lying on the floor in front of him was terrifying his son ...

He launched forward and starting kicking the man on the floor as hard as he possibly could. Then suddenly his father grabbed his leg in mid-swing and yanked it to one side. The Doctor screamed in pain and collapsed sideways, hitting the floor so hard he was knocked out for a brief moment. Then he opened his eyes, and found a tranquilliser gun being held to his face.

The door burst open, and he heard a crash of footsteps and exclamations.

“Ulysses, what are you doing?!” a woman's voice gasped.

“He's turned violent,” his father said, still holding the tranquilliser gun to his face. The Doctor was quite pleased to see he'd done a bit of damage to him, blood pouring out from a split lip. “He just started attacking me when I asked if he wanted breakfast. We need to put him into confinement and keep him restrained until we can analyse his mental stability.”

Then before the Doctor had a chance to answer that, Ulysses lowered the gun and fired a dart in his neck, and all went black.


	23. Psychosis Shmosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Restrained in the psychiatric area, everyone, including the Doctor, begin to question his sanity, and his future as a husband and father.

The Doctor woke up, as ever, with a raging headache and painful legs. He felt sick in the pit of his stomach, aching all over and as though he was on a massive comedown from something.

He tried to move, but he couldn't. Then he realised that was because he was strapped down to the bed, with tubes and wires going in and out of him, things on his head attached to more monitors. What was …?

“ _Doctor?”_ a timid voice asked, sounding very echoed and tinny. It was Rose. He looked around, but he was in a tiny metal room on a bed in the centre – a mirror along the side wall with prison bars on the front. Then he realised where he was.

“Rose? Why am I in the Tardis psychiatric unit?” he asked, and dreaded the answer.

“ _You turned violent. You started attackin' your dad when he went in our room this mornin'. … Do you remember doin' that?”_

The Doctor suddenly felt very cold. Because he couldn't. He really couldn't remember doing that. Had he? She couldn't be lying.

“No,” he croaked.

“ _Oh god,”_ Rose muttered over the comm, realising what that meant.

“... What did I do to him?” the Doctor asked fearfully.

“ _You ... You tried to strangle him, then you slammed him into the floor ...”_ her voice was trembling, like she was about to burst into tears... “ _Hit. .. Hit him with a chair and started kickin' him until he managed to get you off ... You did it all in front of Alex.”_

The Doctor felt his blood turn cold at that last sentence. He wouldn't randomly attack someone, and even if he would, he _definitely_ wouldn't do it in front of his son.

What the hell was happening to him?

“... Rose,” he began.

“ _Yeah?”_ she croaked.

“... Am I insane?”

There was a very long pause after that.

“ _... I don't know, Doctor,”_ she finally answered.

“Why can't I remember it?” he croaked. He could feel himself welling up now. “... What the hell is wrong with me?”

“ _Your dad says it could've been the fever. Maybe brain damage. We dunno if it's temporary or permanent. But you can't come out for three days. Just in case you ... Have another episode and hurt someone really badly.”_

Another long pause. He couldn't really take this in. He'd always been so in control of his own mind even in a state of delusion. To even _think_ he could have been that violent in front of his son and not remember doing it was absolutely terrifying.

Was this it? He was losing his mind. This was the beginning of the Valeyard ...

“... Did you feel me through the bond?” he asked quietly.

“ _Yeah.”_ There was another long pause. The struggle to find words. “ _You were ... suddenly really, really angry. I mean kill someone angry. I've never felt you like that before. I ran into our bedroom and your dad had managed to pin you down.”_

Another long pause.

“... How's Alex?” the Doctor asked.

“ _It took an hour to stop him cryin'. ..”_

He swallowed. More silence.

“ _Look, I'm gonna sort out Leah and Alex, okay?”_ she said suddenly. “ _I'm taking them to mum's, umm, Jack found her a place ... She's gonna look after them for a few days while we sort this out. I'll come see you ... Well, soon. Okay?”_

“Yeah,” the Doctor replied, staring into the mirror – through the glass where he knew Rose was standing. “Please don't tell Leah I'm ... y’know.”

“ _Yeah,”_ Rose croaked, then the intercom switched off.

* * *

 

He laid there in the dark completely alone for the next twelve hours. He understood why Rose hadn't come back. She was scared and ashamed of him, and she had every right to be, because right now he was scared and ashamed of himself. He couldn't believe he'd done that. Any of it.

God, his head was hurting.

But twelve hours gave him plenty of time to think things through, to analyse what was going on in his head. Things _had_ been stressful for a very long time, what with his parents arriving, the alien problem, Alex, the TARDIS, the car, the fire, worrying about Leah ... And he could barely remember much of the fever from the night before. Maybe all the factors had just built up and he'd blown his fuse? Psychogenic situation-specific amnesia? It seemed plausible. But that made him extremely dangerous.

Really hurting.

The fact he couldn't remember doing it was what worried him the most. If he could remember, that would be fine. He could pick apart the situation himself to analyse what exactly made him start attacking his father. But the last thing he remembered was Rose giving him a painkiller, a glass of water and a banana last night ... Then absolutely nothing until he woke up here. The entire morning had gone.

Really, _really_ hurting.

He wondered what the time was. Maybe in the AM. Around 10am, his time sense told him, but it wasn't like he was trusting his brain anymore.

He hoped Rose would come and see him tomorrow. Even just for a bit.

But what if she _didn't want to be with him anymore?_

Then just like that, his head _exploded_ with pain. He screamed at the top of his lungs in complete agony, writhing and squirming on the bed trying desperately to get up, but he couldn't ...

“ROSE!!!” he screamed, but he already knew she wasn't coming. She'd _never come again ..._

Another stab of agony. He entire body jerked up and he felt something trickle out of his nose.

She'd take Leah and Alex away, his own children, to _protect them from him ..._

Yet another ripping pain inside his head. Then he realised the thing coming out of his nose was blood, and it was gushing out at an alarming rate, his entire front was stained.

He'd be alone. _Forever._

The final stab of pain was more like a bullet to the brain. He couldn't cling onto consciousness any longer. He passed out, completely alone and strapped to the bed, bleeding from his brain.

* * *

 Rose awoke with a jump.

She had absolutely no idea what had woken her up. For a moment she wondered whether Alex was crying, but then she remembered her mum had taken Leah and Alex the night before. No one seemed to be at the door.

Shrugging it off, she turned over to the Doctor's side with her eyes closed, blindly fumbling to try and rest a hand somewhere on him. Then she remembered he wasn't there. He was strapped to a bed in the psychiatric unit ...

She wanted to cry at the thought.

She sniffed back the tears, and tried to find a comfortable position. But she couldn't. Something was sounding an alert at the back of her mind, but she had no idea what it could be. Then she suddenly had a massive overwhelming urge to go and see the Doctor. Was he calling out for her? Through the bond?

She didn't want to see him again, not yet. It hurt too much. She had no idea what she was going to do about him. If he was dangerous, she couldn't let Alex and Leah near him, but equally he was the man she'd loved since she was 19-years-old. Could she really just abandon him like that? Through thick and thin, she'd always swore, but she'd kind of meant through alien kind of things, not him becoming mentally unstable and massively violent.

She turned over to look at the wall, and her eyes connected with the clock. It was 10am. Maybe she should get up. So she slid out of bed, and found some clothes.

Even as she was getting dressed she still had that overwhelming urge to go and see the Doctor.

Well, it couldn't hurt, could it? And he might be asleep. She didn't even have to turn on the comm. She could just watch him.

Finally resigning to the urge, she went to the psychiatric unit.

* * *

 

She stepped into the observation area behind the one-sided mirror. She could see him, bound to the bed with thick straps, his head turned away from her. He was asleep.

Then without even realising she was doing it, she took the comm and turned it on.

“Doctor?” she spoke into it.

He didn't twitch.

“Doctor?” she tried again, a little louder. But he didn't move. She sighed, deciding to just leave him to it and putting down the comm.

But that niggling feeling was still at the back of her mind, so she didn't leave quite yet. She stayed and watched him a little longer.

Then she noticed something. There was a stain of blood on his left shoulder. Just a bit. Had one of his wounds reopened? She couldn't leave without dealing with it, so she stepped out of the observation area and around to the entrance to the room's area, her footsteps echoing, lonely on the floor. As lonely as she felt.

She reached his room, eyes fixed on the lock. She pressed in the code, took a breath, pushed open the door and looked up.

Then she screamed.

The pillow and its surrounding area were absolutely covered in blood, puddles building by the side of the bed as it trickled down over the side. It hadn't been visible from the angle of the observation area. The source of the blood was quite plainly the Doctor's ears and nose, which were still bleeding even now – practically caking his face in his own blood. There were absolute puddles of it ...

“Oh god!” she gasped, struggling to stop herself hyperventilating, her hand over her mouth as she stared at him in absolute horror. She couldn't move, utterly paralysed ... “Doctor, Doctor, oh god, Doctor ...”

She finally ran over to him, resting a hand to his shoulder trying desperately to shake him awake. “Doctor!”

The Doctor's eyes flickered open, but only slightly. He looked up at her through slits, looking so pale it was making her feel sick.

“Doctor, you're bleeding,” she whispered urgently, digging into her pocket to grab a tissue, and started wiping at the blood under his nose – which just seemed to dribble out more with every wipe.

“Rose ...” he murmured, dazed. “I've got a headache.”

“You really do, don't you?!” Rose gasped, and quickly gave up with the tissue. “Okay, don't panic, I'm gonna get your dad or your mum or Martha or Jack or ... just someone, okay?! You'll be okay! Don't move!”

She spun on her heel and absolutely tore it out of the psychiatric unit. She run, arms flailing down the corridor, screaming for someone, _anyone_ to help. Ulysses and Penelope were nowhere to be found inside the TARDIS, so she ran out into Torchwood, where she found Jack and Martha talking to Ulysses and Penelope, expressions sombre.

“It's the Doctor!” Rose gasped, barely able to breathe. “There's blood everywhere! Oh god, help him, help him please!!!”

* * *

 

Ten minutes later the Doctor was in the Torchwood medical bay, barely conscious. They still hadn't managed to get all the blood off of him yet, but at least he'd stopped bleeding. Rose was sitting beside him clutching his hand so tightly she was sure she was going to break it. But she didn't care.

“There,” Martha said, fiddling with a bit of machinery. “The results of the brain scan should be with us in ten minutes, sorry for the delay.”

Ulysses suddenly stepped forward, gazing down at his son. “I will take him back to the psychiatric unit.”

“No,” Rose sobbed, kissing the Doctor gently, affectionately.

“Rose, he may yet have another episode,” Ulysses told her patiently. “There's no telling the extent of his brain damage until we see the results of his scan and have time to analyse it. Let me take him back and secure him. Just until we know. Then we can help him.”

Rose swallowed. She knew Ulysses was probably right, but she didn't want to see him get strapped down like a rabid animal again. But it wasn't like she had a choice.

“Okay,” she finally said, pulling back and taking the wheelchair handles, ready to go.

“It would be safer for me to take him on my own,” Ulysses told her gently. “If this is a form of psychosis then it may blur reality when he has an episode, even forcing him to harm his bonded partner.”

Rose conceded he probably had a point about that too. She didn't have the strength to fight him off if he had an episode, and even if she did, she loved him too much to lay a single harming finger on him. She so swallowed, and let go of the wheelchair handles as Ulysses picked up his son and sat him in the wheelchair. The Doctor was utterly and completely limp.

Ulysses pushed him out of the door and into the TARDIS, the two of them completely alone.


	24. You've Got A Little Something In Your Brain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ulysses reveals himself as he attempts to kill the Doctor for good.

 

Ulysses took the Doctor back to the psychiatric unit, and secured him down with the straps to blood-stopping point, even though he knew the Doctor was utterly no threat to him whatsoever, and never had been. The issue the night before had been Ulysses’ own fault. He'd failed to anticipate the strong connection between father and son that would lead the Doctor to fly into an instinctual fight response to protect Alex.

But it had worked out well for him, in the end. Instead of altering the memory he had managed to erase it entirely while the Doctor had been unconscious in the psychiatric unit, thereby convincing everyone that it was a form of mental instability and psychosis, and he could justify securing the Doctor in one place; giving the Doctor the time to just lie on his own for a while to think things out and for Rose to start having reservations about him. And that had been all that was needed to trigger it.

But now Martha had done a brain scan, he only had a matter of minutes until they realised the truth. He had to finish the job, and force a regeneration. Which would be far too easy, now.

“Father?” a quiet voice came from the bed.

Ulysses looked up to see the Doctor lying there pale and weak, looking up at him tiredly. “Things will be fine, Theta,” Ulysses told him gently, reaching for a glass of orange juice he'd prepared on the side table. “Here, this should help with your headache.”

He forced it into the Doctor's mouth, and the Doctor gulped down a few mouthfuls before his face suddenly screwed up with disgust and he started coughing.

“Father, please, no more...” the Doctor gasped.

“Only a few more gulps, my boy,” Ulysses said, tipping it up so what didn't go in his mouth went on his face and the pillow.

“My head,” the Doctor whined. “It ... hurts s-so much.”

“Just relax, Theta,” Ulysses told him smoothly, setting down the empty glass on the side. “Here.” He reached into his breast pocket, drawing out a slip of paper and the sonic screwdriver.

**'REMEMBER** ' was the word on the paper.

The Doctor followed with unfocused eyes as Ulysses ignored the piece of paper and reached up with the sonic to his temple. Then he pressed the button, his headache eased slightly, giving him clearer thoughts...

**REMEMBER**

“ _ It was mechanical failure. Very low-level Time Lord science. I could've done that with the sonic. Either one of them could have caused that with ease, timed it to you walking out...” _

**REMEMBER**

_ He reached for his sonic ... but it wasn't there. He patted down his pockets to no avail. He must've left it in the TARDIS ... _

**REMEMBER**

_ After the massive human tide had washed back out again, Ulysses checked him over. As ever, he hummed and harred, after which he put the sonic screwdriver down on the side table for the Doctor and left without another word ... _

“You,” he whispered, staring at Ulysses.

Ulysses smiled sadly. “Well done, my boy. But you still cannot remember what I have done to you, can you? You worked that out knowing nothing. You were always far cleverer than your father, Theta.”

The Doctor frowned. That was a strange sentence. “What?”

“That is to say, correct. Your father's world was always so small. He never let you do what you wanted to do, so you did it anyway. If he had got his way, you would be dead with the rest of Gallifrey. And secretly, although you killed the entirety of your race, there’s a little part of you that’s glad that you did now.”

“What ...”

“Does your head hurt, Theta, my boy?” Ulysses wondered. “Is it still hurting? How is your headache?”

The Doctor looked at him in alarm, trying to raise a hand to his forehead but quickly realising he was still secured down. “What have you done to me?” he croaked.

“How about your throat, Theta? That's okay, isn't it? It's not feeling strange? Itchy, perhaps? Or like there's a lump?”

“Don't play mind games with me!” the Doctor yelled, because his throat really  _ was  _ starting to feel like there was a lump in it, before it became  _ extremely  _ itchy ...

“Oh, I am not playing mind games now, my boy,” Ulysses assured him. “Your face looks like it could be swelling up ... and what's that rash?”

The Doctor looked at his hands, suddenly covered with an intensely itchy rash.

“Stop it!” he demanded. “I don't believe you, I deny this!”

“Not going to throw up, are you? How is your breathing?”

On cue the Doctor threw up over the side of the bed as suddenly he couldn't breathe properly ...

“I deny this!” he yelled again in a wheeze, trying desperately to fight. “This is not happening to me, this is in my head!”

“I'm afraid it is very real,” Ulysses said again, holding up the glass of orange juice and a box of aspirin.

“You ...” the Doctor gasped, feeling very faint and dizzy. “You ...”

He had to get out of here, find Rose. He needed help. He was in the midst of anaphylaxis and without treatment he would die and regenerate. 

He struggled to get up but he was completely bound down, the straps biting into him. He had to do something,  _ anything.  _ His eyes flickered around, frantic, before he saw the sonic screwdriver on the covers next to his hand and grabbed it, spinning it effortlessly to the correct setting and freeing his right hand faster than Ulysses could even process. He buzzed it over his left wrist, expecting some resistance from Ulysses but for some reason he wasn't moving ...

He got his chest, hips, thighs and feet free very rapidly and stumbled to his feet, before remembering in the most painful way possible that his legs were still broken. Broken and rebroken for days on end, he realised...

He yelped and collapsed to the floor with the surge of agony that came with walking, absolutely helpless. He put his last energies into dragging himself to the door ...

The door needed a keycode. A keycode he didn't know.

_ That  _ was why Ulysses hadn't gone after him.

He glanced over at Ulysses, seeing the man getting onto his feet, making towards him.

The Doctor was suddenly petrified. He dragged his broken legs back across the floor to the bars, sticking out a hand and waving desperately.

“Rose,” he gasped, tears streaming down his face. “Help me ...”

But he knew this was it. Ulysses was standing over him now, and no one was coming to help. This man had cheated, lied and joyrided his way into everyone's trust. Even Rose's. Even though she'd been right about him all along.

* * *

 

The scan pinged on the monitor, and Martha took it. Rose, Jack and Penelope gathered around, waiting anxiously for the results.

Martha frowned slightly, then turned to Penelope. “You might be better at this than me, it's not like a human brain ... What do you think?” she asked.

Penelope looked at it, and frowned. “Oh, that's very strange,” she murmured.

“What? Is he brain damaged?” Rose asked anxiously.

“I'm not sure,” Penelope confessed. “This part here,” she pointed a piece out. “That's specifically for memory recall. It appears to be a bit ... well, I'm not sure, I am not a physician like Ulysses. But it does not seem right at all. … Hold on, what's that?”

She pointed to a small black dot in the centre of the scan. Everything around it was fine, it looked like a scanner black-spot.

“Hold on, I'll zoom, might just be a fault,” Martha said, and clicked a few buttons. It zoomed it, loaded the new image.

It still wasn't  _ entirely _ clear what it was, but it definitely wasn't a fault or scanner black-spot. Because faults and scanner black-spots didn't tend to have two antennae and eight legs.

“Oh my god,” Rose whispered, hand over mouth.

“What the actual fuck is that?” Jack croaked.

“Enhance the image,” Penelope ordered in a sharp tone, and Martha did so, it zoomed in even more to reveal features, and Penelope identified it immediately.

“That's a zinox,” she muttered.

“What's a zinox?” Rose asked anxiously. “And what the hell is it doing in his brain?!”

“A zinox is a household pest ... Tell me, have you gone anywhere infested by zinox recently, Rose?” Penelope asked her quickly.

“No ...” Rose began, and then her face dropped, looking at Jack with wide, realising eyes. “Oh my god. Friz and Rix.”

“What?” 

“They were pest control!” she gasped. “Oh my god ... what if they had some on board when they crashed? I found him tranquillised on the floor. Maybe one crawled in ...”

Penelope nodded. “Yes, it seems likely.”

“What's this zinox doing to him?” Martha asked quickly.

“A zinox ... It finds a host, usually while they're sleeping, crawls in through their ear and buries itself in the brain. It's intelligent, it sits in the cerebral cortex and accesses all areas to weaken its host, finding memories and thoughts to use against them, to weaken them physically and mentally, creating ...”

Then she stopped, and completely froze.

“What?” Rose asked anxiously.

“Hallucinations, solid hallucinations. Hallucinations of memories of ... people.”

Rose stared at her. “You mean, you're ...”

“A symptom of his disease,” Penelope completed in a croak. “I was created to weaken him, but the trouble was he remembered me ... I mean, his mother, so fondly that she would never hurt him in anyway. So the parasite had to create another memory. One that he thought  _ would _ hurt him.”

“Ulysses,” Jack realised.

“He was created to run Theta down, make him utterly miserable ... so mentally weak that the zinox could eat his brain without resistance.”

“Oh god,” Rose muttered, realising what that meant instantly. “Ulysses did everything! All the stuff that's been happening!”

“But this doesn't make sense,” Martha began. “It's not sitting inside his memory recall, why is that so damaged?”

Penelope paused, thinking it through. Then she looked up, and to Martha. “Memory alteration.”

“What?”

“Ulysses is capable of changing the memories by accessing the memory recall area. So am I and Theta, in fact. Theta is so smart, he probably realised a long time ago what Ulysses was doing to him, but Ulysses had to cover his tracks, so he's been repeatedly changing Theta's memories, and this damaged the memory recall area through so much forced change ...”

“But he definitely attacked Ulysses yesterday,” Rose said quickly. “Is the zinox making him psychotic?”

“No,” Penelope replied. “Ulysses told us he attacked him when he entered the room. We kept believing what Ulysses said. What if he didn't? Alex was there, was he not? What if Theta realised what was happening, Ulysses wiped his memory and then realised that Alex had seen him doing it and went for him?”

“The paternal bond,” Rose realised. 

Penelope nodded quickly. “He was protecting his son, and he doesn't remember because Ulysses wiped it. Ulysses told us he was psychotic and did it for no reason. We believed him. Even Theta believed him.”

“Wait, so, you didn't know this was in his brain, even though you were created by it?” Jack asked. “Maybe Ulysses doesn't know either?”

“Theta remembers his mother as pure, innocent. I didn't know because he thinks I would try to help him if I did.  He's been attacking himself with his own mind. Everything's that's happened, the Tardis; Alex; you, Rose... It's all been done by Ulysses because Theta thinks of those things as the worst possible to happen and that his father might be the one to do it. So the hallucination of Ulysses acted them out because Theta's brain told him to.”

“And the nosebleed?” Martha asked. “Maybe he got so mentally weakened, the zinox took its opportunity and attacked ...”

Penelope nodded. “It's started eating his brain.”

“Wait!” Jack said quickly, realising something very serious. “Ulysses knows about the zinox. And he knows we did a brain scan. He knows he's only got a few minutes until we figure him out ...”

“Oh my god!” Rose realised. “He took the Doctor on his own to the psychiatric area!”

* * *

 

Ulysses moved towards the Doctor, looking down at his son's writhing body with no expression on his face. The seizure continued for two minutes, and when it was over the Doctor just laid there shaking, blood gushing out of his nose.

Ulysses finally got down beside him cross-legged, taking Theta's upper half into his arms. 

“I'm sorry, Theta,” he said gently, holding his son caringly. “I'm so sorry. This wasn't me. It was you, you made me do these things, and believe me, I never wanted to.”

The Doctor looked up at him, still shaking, barely able to focus. His father gazed down at him sadly, brushing back the stray hair from his forehead and cupping his cheek.

“That's it, let go,” Ulysses told him gently. “Relax. I'm here. I'm not letting go.”

The Doctor's face, throat and mouth were so swollen he couldn't get out a word or make an expression. He couldn't even breathe anymore.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Ulysses said in a whisper, kissing his forehead.

Finally the Doctor closed his eyes, and fell limp. Ulysses sniffed, a tear running down his cheek for his son dying in his arms silently. He held him tightly, feeling the Doctor's double hearts beneath his palm, slowly failing. He was not his real father, he was not even  _ real _ , but he felt as if he had created this man. This boy. His little boy. His son. And he had just killed him.

Then he heard the sound of small running footsteps. He looked up and was very surprised to see Alex running towards the room, tears running down his face. He got to the keypad and stretched up as far as he could reach and pressed in the right code instantly. The door buzzed back and he ran inside, grabbing his daddy's arm and pulling him off of Ulysses with every ounce of strength he had until the Doctor was lying flat on the floor. He then put his hands on his daddy's left heart, and used his entire body weight to push down in a version of CPR ...

Ulysses just watched, waiting for the Doctor's mind to tell him what he was going to do about it. But he found himself just sitting there staring at the sight of the little boy trying desperately to help his daddy.

Alex quickly decided it wasn't working, so he clambered up into his daddy's chest, sat over his left heart and tried to do CPR by dropping his entire weight on him. He then moved to his right heart and did the same, before going to his dad's head and pulling it back, pushing his nose closed with both hands, taking the biggest, deepest breath he could muster and blowing it into his dad's mouth – but it was nowhere near enough. The little boy didn't despair however, he carried on as best he could, but he was very quickly becoming exhausted.

There was the sudden rush of footsteps coming down the corridor as Rose, Jack, Martha and Penelope rushed to the room ... Seeing Ulysses staring at Alex who was performing a rudimentary and probably mostly ineffectual CPR on an obviously nearly dead Doctor.

“Oh my god ... What the hell have you  _ done?!” _ Rose gasped.

Jack ran in to pick up an absolutely distraught Alex as Martha checked the Doctor.

Ulysses' eyes connected with Rose. She was completely wrong-footed when she saw he was crying.

“Please stop me,” he choked out. “Please don't let me kill him ...”

Then Rose caught sight of the box of aspirin and orange juice. Her eyes widened in absolute horror. “You bastard!” she screamed, completely forgetting about Alex. “You absolute fucking  _ bastard!” _

“I'm so very sorry,” Ulysses sobbed, and he meant it. 

“Starting CPR!” Martha yelled. “Someone, get some epinephrine  _ now  _ or he's going to die!”

Penelope ran off in a shot as Rose stumbled down next to the Doctor, trying to comfort him. His face was so swollen he was barely recognisable.

“God, I should've known you wouldn't hurt anyone ever ...” she gasped out, in tears. “I should've trusted you, I should've known, if I'd just listened ... Please don't die, don't regenerate, please, we'll sort this, we'll get out the zinox. I love you so much, please forgive me ...”

Penelope came rushing back with the epinephrine and administered it as Martha continued CPR. Alex was crying hard in Jack's arms, trying desperately to get out of his uncle's hold so he could go back to help his dad, despite the fact he was obviously very exhausted from his previous efforts.

Suddenly the Doctor jolted into coughing, gasping in air though his face was still swollen badly. His eyes flickered open to look at Rose.

“My head ...” he gasped as some blood came spilling out his nose. “Please help me ...”

“We need to get out the zinox,” Penelope said urgently. “It's still eating his brain ... We have to get it out now before it's too late to save him. If he regenerates with it still in it ... By Rassilon's beard, I do not even want to contemplate that.”

“How?!” Rose squeaked. “We need brain surgery!”

“Just get him to the infirmary!” Martha yelled, grabbing his upper half as Rose took the lower, and they took him straight down the corridor to the infirmary, praying and hoping and begging gods they didn't believe in that there would be a way to save his life.


	25. “So many good byes...”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They try desperately to save the Doctor’s life, but saving it has dire consequences for him.

They'd managed to stop the anaphylaxis and get his hearts going, but he was bleeding copiously again, with the bed and him absolutely soaked in his blood. He was gasping out for help in a way Rose had never heard him do before, not even during labour. His tears of pain were mixing with his blood and dribbling off his chin. His entire body was shaking around as he gargled and cried out in complete agony. Ulysses was stood in the corner of the room, gazing at the situation in front of him with watery eyes.

“Insect in the middle of a brain, does anyone have a bright idea?” Martha pleaded, looking around.

“There's gotta be somethin'!” Rose sobbed. “Anythin', please, someone!” She looked at Penelope. “Is there somethin' high-tech? Please say there's somethin' in here!”

Penelope swallowed, struggling to hold back her tears now at the sight of Theta lying there crying out for help desperately. “I ... I don't ... No. No ... There isn't.”

“Jack?” Rose wailed.

“Hold on, just ... let me think!” Jack said quickly, whacking his head to propel his thoughts. Then suddenly he snapped up his head, realisation on his face. “Singularity Scalpel,” he muttered.

Rose watched as Martha looked at Jack with wide eyes.

“But ... Owen was the only one who could really use it ... Rhys did it on a fluke ...”

“Have you got any better ideas?!” Jack challenged seriously. 

Martha had nothing to say to that.

“Get the Singularity Scalpel,” Jack ordered her, and she was off in a shot. He then turned to Rose and Penelope. “This is all I've got and if it doesn't work ...”

He didn't need to finish the end of that sentence.

* * *

 

Martha ran out into the corridor, heading straight to the alien artefact cupboard in Torchwood. She absolutely pelted down the TARDIS corridor with her heart in her throat, going so fast she almost mowed down Alex coming the other way.

“Alex!” she shrieked, stumbling to avoid him ... Then she realised he was panting as though he'd sprinted, and he was holding the Singularity Scalpel. He held it up to her, his lip wobbling.

“Thank you!” she yelled. How could he have known to get that before even Jack did? She took it and ran back down the corridor to the infirmary. She burst in, and everyone looked surprised at her quick return.

“Your son is a bloody genius, Rose,” she said seriously, running to give Jack the Singularity Scalpel. 

He looked over it for a moment, and quickly realised the twisty things and buttons made absolutely no sense to him whatsoever. “I can't,” he realised, his heart sinking like a stone. For a moment he had thought he could blag it, make things up as he went along, work it out ... but he really, really couldn't. He'd probably end up blowing a hole in the Doctor's head.

“What's that? Let me see it,” Ulysses suddenly interrupted, striding forward and taking the singularity scalpel from Jack in one swift movement.

“Get the fuck off!” Jack yelled back, all courtesy out the window for this parasite-created hallucination that had been spending the best part of a month torturing his best friend.

“I can use this,” Ulysses said suddenly, looking it over. “I can get it out.”

“Why the hell would you do that?!” Rose spat.

“For the same reason I would,” Penelope suddenly said, somehow managing to calm everyone with the tone of her voice. “Please, he's not lying. He knows how to use it. He is Theta's only hope.”

“But ...”

“Rose, we do not have time for this,” Penelope told her sternly. “Ulysses was made to do those things, acting as a hallucination according to what Theta thought he might do. The real Ulysses would have never done any of this. The parasite has played on Theta's childhood fears, and now Theta's brain is failing we are not constricted by what he thinks we would do. If you don't trust him, then trust me. Ulysses is Theta's only hope, or he's going to have his brain slowly eaten until he dies, regenerates, and the creatures becomes melded to his next brain and staying in him forever.”

Rose swallowed, looking back at the Doctor again.

“Please ...” he whimpered, still shaking and jerking, blood pouring out of his nose still. “Please help me, please ... Please, it hurts ...”

“Okay,” she said, stepping back.

Ulysses nodded and began to calibrate the Singularity Scalpel as Penelope explained.

“The second the parasite is removed, we will disappear, so Jack, you will need to catch the scalpel. Put him to sleep now, and keep him under until he falls into healing coma. Let him wake up of his own accord, test his brain activity, specifically memory recall, motor and autonomic functions. Let him rest for a few days.”

Martha nodded, moving to get the sedative.

“No,” a voice suddenly croaked from the bed.

“What is it?” Rose asked, taking the Doctor's bloody, shaking hand.

“I won't l-let you, Mum. D-don't take it out.”

Everyone looked at the Doctor, shocked.

“Theta ...” Penelope began gently.

“No, M-mum.”

“I cannot stay here, Theta. You know the consequences.”

“But ... Mum..”

“Theta.” She took his hands, looking at him. He stared at the ground, so she took his chin in her hand and raised his head to look at her. “I understand, really, I do. But I am the side effect of a deadly parasite, created by your memories of your mother. I am not your mother, she has been dead for a very long time, but standing here as I am now as you have remembered her, perhaps I am her. And as your mother, I am telling you to accept this. The Universe needs you, Theta. I am not worth your death. Please understand that it was never my intention to leave you, and I do not think you would ever intend to leave  _ your  _ family, Theta. Because that would not be the son I know.”

“I know,” the Doctor croaked, tear tracks down his face. 

She smiled gently, taking both his hands and maintaining her gaze. He was still bleeding, still spasming, utterly and completely helpless.

“Oh, Theta. Look at you. You have the most beautiful family, and great friends who stick by you until the end. The way you travel the Universe and fight for what is right – you have made so many people happy. You are a hero. Perhaps I am not your real mother, but the love I feel for you and your little family  _ is _ real. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that she would be proud of everything you have done ... And everything you  _ have yet _ to do.”

“But how can I let you d-die again?” the Doctor asked in a whisper. “How can I be your k-killer again? How can I just sit here and p-pretend everything's okay? Because it's not, Mum. It's not.” He paused to swallow down his emotions, barely able to get the words out. “I didn't even realise h-how much I missed you until you came b-back. And now that you're here ... Everything's p-perfect. And ... And I want you to … to be there for Leah and Alex, I want you to l-live with us, I want you to ... To stay. This ... It just isn't f-fair. Why did it have to create  _ you?  _ Anyone else, I could d-deal with, but not you.”

She gazed at him for a moment longer, smiling sadly. “For that very reason, Theta.”

He just nodded. He knew all of this. But that didn't mean he could accept it any easier.

“Please don't dwell in the Time War,” Penelope continued softly. “I have forgiven you, Theta. It's time you forgave yourself too.”

“But I k-killed you,” the Doctor sobbed.

“I don't care,” Penelope said, clutching so hard onto his hand. “And I think, in a way, deep down inside your hearts, you are glad you destroyed Gallifrey. Because without that you would have never met Rose. You wouldn't have Leah and Alex. And Leah, she's so beautiful, so resourceful and kind, and Alex may not be talking yet but he is even cleverer than his daddy.”

She looked around at the entire group gathered around, listening to her, and smiled before looking back at Theta. “Your father and I may be dead, Theta, but you don't need us here. You have a new family here, a family who have taken you in to their little planet, rushing at the drop of a hat to help you when you need them. Because they all love you for who you are. While these other humans scream and scatter at the mention of aliens, they choose to live with one and treat him as an equal. And that is you, Theta. That is you, and no one else.”

The Doctor choked a tear, staring up at her.

“Don't cry because it's over, Theta,” his mother said with a gentle smile. “Smile because it happened. And perhaps ... You would care for one last conversation with your father?”

The Doctor's eyes flickered to the foot of the bed, and saw the man himself holding the Singularity Scalpel in both hands.

“Theta,” he began. “I ... I may not be your father, but I am sure he would never have done what I did. We are figments of your memories acting how you would think we'd act, enhanced by the parasite. So now I am going to say what your brain is already telling you. Your father was never a bad person. He would never have done this. He only ever wanted to see you grow up to be strong. And now I can see that he succeeded with flying colours. Although you never talked to him towards the end perhaps you can take solace in that you have talked to me now, and perhaps you have learnt that there was always a different perspective. Never lose that courage, my boy. Fight and stay strong, and have a fantastic life.”

The Doctor looked between them. He took a breath, and looked at Martha. “Okay, do it.”

She nodded, moving forward with a needle filled with sedative in her hand. The Doctor laid down flat on the bed, maintaining a firm grip on his mum's hand. She just leant forward, and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you, Theta,” she said gently.

“I love you too, Mum,” he replied, then looked at his father. “You too ... Dad.”

Ulysses smiled at that. He didn't say a word, simply leaning forward to kiss his son on the forehead too. Then Penelope nodded to Martha, who pressed the trigger on the needle gun, and it fired. It took a few seconds to kick in, the Doctor still holding his mum's hand as tightly as he could, before his eyes flickered closed and finally his pained expression evened out into nothing.

“Thank you,” Rose suddenly said, looking at Ulysses and Penelope.

“You're welcome, Rose,” Penelope said gently, smiling through teary eyes. “You take good care of him.”

“I will.”

Ulysses looked between them, and Penelope nodded. “Activating in three, two, one ...”

He pressed the button, and he and Penelope vanished. Jack caught the Singularity Scalpel as it dropped, and suddenly all was silent. The Doctor had stopped spasming.

Martha jumped forward first, checking his heartsbeat and pulse. “He's alive,” she whispered. “Rose, can you get some towels?”

Rose nodded numbly, and ran off across the infirmary. Jack helped Martha turned him on his side to stop him choking on his own blood.

“He's still bleeding,” Jack muttered.

“It'll clot,” Martha assured him. “But we need some blood bags of his, he's lost a  _ lot. _ ”

“I'll get 'em,” he said, and ran off as Rose came back. She and Martha placed the towels under and around his head to catch the blood, dabbing at his nose carefully.

“Can't believe I doubted him,” Rose muttered.

“It was hardly your fault,” Martha said.

“I thought he was going insane. I ... I was scared of him. Scared that he might hurt Leah or Alex. God, I've been so stupid ...”

“Ulysses was really manipulative, Rose,” Martha told her. “You were taken in by the best. You can't blame yourself for this.”

“But he's gonna be absolutely wrecked when he wakes up,” Rose murmured, trying to wipe the blood out of his hair. “His parents just died again. Oh god, especially his mum. She and him were ... Well, he loved her so much.”

Martha looked at her. “Rose, whatever he wakes up to, however he feels, I'm sure you can deal with it. Now forget about that – me and Jack will sort out the Doctor. All you need to do is go out that door, thank your son for saving his daddy's life, then you need to go straight to your mum's, find Leah and bring her back home. Okay?”

Rose nodded, and left to do exactly that.


	26. I Need A Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is gripped with guilt for her part in what happened to the Doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last block! Thanks for bearing with :D

They kept him sedated for fourteen hours, until he finally went into a healing coma, which he had been in for two days so far. It was hard to believe that the last time he'd been like this – lying in the infirmary unconscious for days on end – had only been a week and a half ago.

Rose was sat next to him as always, staring at his content, even-faced expression as he healed his damaged brain. She was trying to figure out in her head what she was going to say to him when he woke up. She felt guilty. She had been the one to convince him to accept the woman was his mother, and in turn he had let Penelope into his hearts, accepting that she was alive. Now he had to accept her death again.

Not only that, but Rose had ended up completely trusting Ulysses too. She'd let him take the Doctor on his own to tie him up and force-feed him aspirin. How could she have let that happen? She and the Doctor had always been so in tune, always knowing each other's thoughts and feelings and playing to each other's strengths and weaknesses even  _ before  _ they had bonded. She should have  _ known  _ there was something wrong with him.

But no. He'd had an insect in his brain for a month, chewing its way happily through and she hadn't known. Those headaches. It had never been the TARDIS – the TARDIS was never sick, Ulysses had made it seem that way. Manipulating the situation. Manipulating the Doctor. For a month. And she hadn't even batted an eyelid at it. She had ignored his reservations about his parents and told him to accept them.

Frankly, alarm bells should have rung the minute the Doctor stumbled out of the living room telling her he'd tried to hit Ulysses. He'd never hit anyone, no matter how angry he was. He wasn't like that. She knew that.

But she'd knowingly agreed to have him secured down in the psychiatric unit. She believed for a flicker of a moment that he was insane. She had doubted him. Doubted his mental stability, doubted his capabilities as her partner and the father of her children, doubted their relationship.

He had every right to blame her for everything. He was the only victim in this. And it was going to be devastating.

Suddenly she realised that she was a complete hypocrite. She shouldn't be sitting here. She'd been the one to guide him to this utter mess of an ending and he was going to be angry with her when he woke up. She couldn't face that. She didn't like arguing with him.

She suddenly got up, and went to the door. She went to their room, got out a bag and packed a few clothes. Then she ran out of the TARDIS into Torchwood, got some money from Jack's desk, then left.

* * *

 

“Rose ...” the Doctor muttered as he slowly began to wake up. His head was in a bit of a fog. He felt someone take his hand, but he knew by instinct it wasn't Rose's hand. He frowned and opened his eyes, and saw it was Jack sitting next to him.

“Jack?” he asked tiredly, looking around to find Rose, but she wasn't there.

“Good morning,” Jack said. He wasn't smiling.

“How long have I been out?” The Doctor asked quietly.

“Three days,” Jack replied. 

The Doctor thought about this for a moment. “She's gone, isn't she? My Mum?”

Jack nodded sombrely. “I'm sorry. She was nice.”

The Doctor just nodded at that, then looked around again for Rose. He needed her, needed to hold her. “Where's Rose?”

Jack suddenly looked incredibly uncomfortable. “Umm ... Look, Doctor, I've got some bad news.”

“What? Where's Rose? Has something happened?” he asked anxiously.

“Well ...” Jack paused, swallowing. “She's gone.”

“Gone?” the Doctor repeated, confused.

“I'm really sorry, she just packed a bag and left. I saw her leave on the cameras, I tried to stop her, I followed her to the bus stop but it pulled away before I reached it.”

“Where? Where did she go?”

Jack sighed. “We don't know, Doc. I tried phoning Jackie, made it seem like I was just asking casually, but she hasn't seen her. I even tried Sarah Jane. Mickey got me a couple of numbers of some people in London she knew but they haven't seen her for years. I checked around and she's packed up some clothes, plus £345 from my desk is gone.”

“... She's left?”

“Look, Doctor, I don't know, but when I saw her run out she looked like she'd been crying. And don't worry, Leah and Alex are still here. They don't know, I told them I sent her on a mission.”

“Oh god,” the Doctor croaked. Had she just left him? Just run away from him, Leah and Alex? Why would she do that?

“That isn't the last of the bad news either, Doc ...” Jack said quietly. “You know those aliens you couldn't take home? I got UNIT to pick them up, but ... Well ... The van got intercepted by that Alex Grimshaw and his political group. They've taken them, the public are calling for their execution ... It's all over the news.”

The Doctor just stared at him. Jack could see the Time Lord's soul slowly withering just from the way his eyes seemed to die.

“I ... don't know what to do anymore,” the Doctor finally croaked.

“You'll figure it out,” Jack said gently. “I'll take care of Leah and Alex so don't worry about that, you just focus on what you need to do, okay? I'll help you all I can. Whatever you need.”

* * *

 

Only a day passed, but it was already apparent the Doctor had become extremely depressed in a way no one had ever seen him before. After he'd been examined and given the all clear he'd hobbled to his bedroom, confined himself inside and wasn't eating what food they brought him. Meanwhile Rose was out god knows where, the entire country was in an outcry and to top it all off Leah kept asking why she hadn't seen her parents for days.

“Nope, didn't want it,” Jack told Martha and Mickey, walking back into the TARDIS kitchen holding a plate of untouched food. 

“This is so awful,” Martha murmured, taking the plate and scraping it into the bin.

“It's a complete and utter mess,” Jack agreed. “I've never seen him this depressed. He's just lying there with all the lights off staring at the wall, he's been doing that since yesterday afternoon. When I try and talk to him he tells me to go away.”

“We've got to do  _ something _ ,” Martha muttered. “Can't we find Rose? Bring her back?”

“I've gone over everything. Ianto scanned the CCTV around Cardiff for yesterday, I've checked hotel bookings in Wales, trains and buses and ... Well, she's nowhere. God, she's good.”

“She learnt from the best,” Martha supposed. “We just need to find a way to talk some sense into the Doctor.”

“Well, he won't listen to any of us,” Jack muttered.

Mickey suddenly looked up from deep thought, finger in the air. “I've got an idea ...”

* * *

 

“How you doin', sweetheart?” Jackie Tyler asked the Doctor, walking into the bedroom. All the lights were off, and he was lying in bed curled up in the foetal position, hugging a pillow.

The Doctor looked at her through watery eyes in the darkness of the bedroom, then turned over and closed his eyes. “Please, Jackie. I don't want to talk.”

“Then I'll talk,” Jackie insisted, taking a seat on the bed next to him. “Look, you might be an alien from the planet Gallibean or whatever it was, your parents might've been aliens, but I think for every person, alien or 'uman, it all works out the same in the end. My parents are dead too, Doctor. I know just 'ow you're feelin'.”

“You don't understand,” the Doctor muttered into the pillow, still not looking up. ‘My mum died all over again and now Rose has walked out ...”

“So why the 'ell aren't you out there right now tryin' to find her, eh? Anythin’ could be ‘appening to ‘er!”

“Leave me alone.”

“No, I'm not gonna,” Jackie said sharply. “You need to wake up and realise that you're not the only bloody person in the universe who's feelin' a little sad right now, and like it or not you're the only one who can sort everythin’ out. So why the 'ell don't you man up, get up, get dressed and go and do it?”

Suddenly the Doctor was angry, eyes snapping open to look at her. “What, you think I'm some kind of universal superhero? That I fly around with my cape turning up just in time for every single bad thing that ever happens anywhere and saving the day?”

“Leah thinks you are.”

“Don't use her against me,” he spat, sitting up straight. “Maybe I’m fed up with it. Maybe it’s not my turn. Maybe someone  _ else  _ needs to go do the superhero thing, because I’m done. Rose doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore and I get it. She’s fed up of my life, and you know what? Right now I am too. This used to be  _ fun.  _ But it’s not anymore. All I do is win battles and lose wars. I save everyone but myself and I’m done.”

Jackie stared at him in disbelief. “You complete and utter ...” she began, but then stopped herself before the inevitable swear word. “She's gone because she thinks you don't love her anymore!”

“... What?”

“She's completely guiltin' 'erself over all of this, thinkin' it's all her fault.”

“But that's stupid,” the Doctor muttered.

“Exactly! Bloody 'ell, you two are as stupid as each other! She's run away thinkin' you don't love her for some mangled reason I don't get, and at the  _ thought  _ that she doesn't love you you've turned into this pathetic cryin' idiot who can't even get out of bed!”

The Doctor looked at her, but he didn't say anything. 

“Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart,” she said quietly, moving forward to take his hand. “I know the thing about your Mum and Dad is wreckin' you, but honestly? You need Rose to get through this. So first you're gonna 'ave to swallow those tears, find her, tell her you love 'er, then she can 'elp you.”

He looked at her some more, wiping at his eyes. 

“And if you don't, then I'm gonna slap ya,” Jackie told him seriously. “You promised you'd take care of 'er. You told me you only live for your family, and I'm 'olding you to that. God knows I 'ated you at first but seein' you two together ... Please. Find her. You need ‘er. Then you can deal with all that other stuff, sweetheart.”

After another pause, he finally nodded. She smiled, and leant forward to hug him tightly.

“You can call  _ me _ Mum, if you like,” she told him gently.

The Doctor suddenly drew back, staring at her with a raised eyebrow. “You  _ are _ joking, aren't you?”

Jackie smiled at that. “Just testin'. Thank God, you're back to normal. Now go!”


	27. We Go Together Like ...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor finds Rose, and they talk it out. Leah has a solution for Bundy.

Rose was staring at the phone on the bedside table of her little hotel room, and had been for a while. She kept reaching forward to pick it up, and then drawing her hand away and staring at it some more.

He was probably awake by now. She wanted to phone him, but he was most likely angry. She didn't want an argument. She wanted to delete the last month entirely. She wanted to just be back in the TARDIS like it had been a month ago, her only worries being about Alex and what they were going to do for Leah's birthday. 

She swallowed, still staring at the phone. She considered her options. She could always hang up if he started yelling, and she couldn't see his face so she wouldn't be able to see how angry he was. She reached out to the phone again, slowly, carefully ...

There was a knock on the door, interrupting her movement. She let go a sigh of relief at being interrupted, got off of the bed and went to the door, pulling it open.

She froze on the spot.

“Rose Tyler, you're a hard woman to find,” the Doctor said, grinning at her. 

She stared at him. “You're ... You're walking.”

“I have legs,” the Doctor pointed out with a sniff.

“Yeah, but...” she paused, stopping herself. “... How did you find me?”

“Well, I thought to myself, if I was Rose Tyler and I was being utterly stupid where would I go? Then it came to me! I'd go sixty-one miles away to Rhossili Bay just off the B4247 to a tiny hotel with a Lobstery name,” he said, beaming.

She just stared at him, unblinking.

He winced slightly. “Look, can I come in? I'm going to admit, Jack drove me here, carried me up the stairs and helped me to this door so I could make a grand entrance. My legs really hurt right now.”

Rose gasped instantly. “Oh God, I'm sorry, come in ...” 

She took his arm and pulled him inside, closing the door before guiding him over to the sofa and sitting him down. He breathed a sigh of relief, falling backwards to relax before looking up at her. 

“Why are you here?” he asked seriously.

Rose sighed, dropping to sit down next to him. “I don't deserve you.”

“Well, that's a stupid reason. What's the real reason?”

“That  _ is  _ the real reason ...”

“Really?” he asked, scratching a sideburn and looking genuinely puzzled. “That's a new one. Why don't you deserve me?”

“I ... doubted you. I thought you were insane. I'd nearly decided on taking Leah and Alex, and gettin’ Jack to find us a house ... I can't believe I doubted you. I thought we were like ... umm ...”

“A ham and cheese sandwich?” the Doctor suggested gently, smiling. “I'm cheese, obviously.”

She giggled at that, then looked at the floor again. “But I could've stopped all that happenin’. I should've known you wouldn't have tried to punch your dad or attack him for no reason. I feel so ... guilty. I told you to talk to your Mum, I forced you to accept her. Then I didn't listen when you had those doubts. Then I trusted Ulysses... Even after everythin’ I thought about him at the start, I actually trusted him ... I trusted him with you and you nearly died. And he tried to kill Alex, too, right? I should've known somethin’ was wrong”

“Are you seriously saying that everything that happened is your fault?”

“It kinda is,” Rose muttered. “After you attacked him I just let him strap you down and I just left you there on your own. When ... Well ... The mornin’ I went back and you were absolutely covered in blood you could've been there for  _ hours  _ before I found you...”

“What does it matter now?” the Doctor asked seriously. “I've got all my blood back in me and my brain's near perfect again.”

“I just ... I hated every second of it, you were beggin’ me to help you, bleedin' so bad, and I just know I was the one that put you there. I ... I hurt you.”

“Oh, Rose,” he sighed, gathering her into a hug. “You've hurt me  _ loads  _ of times before.”

“What?” Rose gasped, pulling away in alarm. “When have I hurt you?”

“Well,” the Doctor began, clearing his throat. “How about when Cassandra possessed you and you knocked me out with perfume and put me in a pod linked up to every single known disease?”

“Oh, c'mon,” Rose protested. “That wasn't my fault!”

“Or,” the Doctor continued, ignoring her. “How about when we were on Linox and you decided it'd be funny to push me in the mud just before we were honoured by the King live on Linox TV?”

“How was I supposed to know it was septic?”

“I got knighted live in front of millions of people covered in toxic poo!”

“You weren't hurt though, were you?”

“This was only just after I regenerated, I wasn't about to tell you I had a blistering itchy rash that went into my groin for a week.”

“ _ That's _ why you were walkin' like a penguin!” Rose realised.

“Yeah! And how about when Leah was a baby I was walking down the Tardis corridor and you rolled out that toy car under my feet and I tripped and face-planted the floor?”

Rose burst in laughter at the mere thought of that.

The Doctor looked disgruntled. “I had a bruise shaped like the grating on my face for three days and everyone we met thought that a tiny motorbike had run over my face!”

Rose laughed even harder. “Oh, come on, that was funny! I mean, after you got cleared of concussion.”

“It's domestic violence, that's what it is!” the Doctor insisted with a mock frown.

Rose wasn't paying attention though, just sat there laughing her head off. She struggled to get it under control, but one look at the Doctor's face sent her off again.

The Doctor smiled gently, brushing back her hair so he could see her smile better until she finally managed to get it under control. “See how much it just doesn't matter? Bonding is for life, Rose. We had this conversation before we did it, you knew what my life is and you chose to live it with me. Getting hurt, you or me, is just a part of that. I wouldn't have bonded with you if I thought you couldn't handle it, or if I thought for one second that I'd ever stop loving you. I love you. And it's completely ridiculous that I do, I know, because I'm a 900-year-old alien with a spaceship and no planet and dead parents and you're a human being who had a mum and a council flat and a job ... And now all this has happened I just ... I'm so glad I blew up your job.”

She just smiled at that, taking him into another hug. “I love you.”

“Feeling's mutual,” he assured her, then pulled away. “And to that effect ...”

He suddenly got up, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. Instantly she realised what he was doing as he grunted and got down onto one knee in front of her, holding up the box and opening it to reveal a diamond ring inside.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, grinning. “And you'd better say yes because it's already arranged and happening in three weeks.”

“What?” Rose croaked, absolutely stunned.

“Your mum can be surprisingly fast at this kind of thing,” he replied with a shrug. “Marry me? And it'll be a proper one, with everyone watching and music and proper rings and things, not like the other one.”

She frowned slightly. “But you don't ...”

“I do,” he interrupted. “Marry me?”

“Why are you doin’ this?” she asked, genuinely puzzled.

“This is my way of convincing you how much you mean to me. Marry me?”

“But, Doctor, I ...”

“Rose, please marry me or within the next ten seconds I'm going to be screaming on the floor in agony.”

She gasped, realising he was still kneeling down. “Oh god, yeah, I'll marry you. Now sit down!” she said, grabbing him and lifting him on the sofa to sit down.

“Thanks,” he breathed, slipping the ring onto her finger. She gazed at it for a moment. It was a very nice ring.

“Jackie gave it to me,” he said. “It was the one Pete gave her. I mean, this universe Pete.”

“How the heck did he afford this?” she wondered seriously, then smiled. “Thank you. It's beautiful.”

He just smiled back.

She gazed at him for a moment, sitting there grinning at her. “You seem kinda... Happy, you know? I mean, I thought you'd be depressed about your mum?”

“I was,” he admitted. “Believe me, you weren't the only one being stupid recently. Then Jackie screamed at me until I got it together to come and find you. And you know ... You broke your promise.”

“What promise?”

“That if it went horribly wrong you'd be there for me.”

“Oh. I know,” she muttered. “But ... I haven't broken it yet.” 

“What?”

“Because you're not done grievin’ yet and I'm here now.”

He smiled sadly. “You really do know me.”

“We're ham and cheese,” she told him, giggling.

“Salt and vinegar,” he continued.

“Cod and chips.”

“Sausages and mash.”

“Clotted cream and scones.”

“Now I'm hungry,” the Doctor announced, and then got up again. “We'd better go, or we'll be late for our booking.”

“Bookin’?”

“Yeah, I got Jack to book us into that restaurant just up the road. Should be fun. I'll have steak.”

“Is this a date?” Rose asked cheekily, tongue between her tongue.

“Yes, it is,” he supposed, grinning. “Our second date.”

“I'll warn you, I don't do sex till at least the fourth date.”

He smiled. “I'm going to take you to dinner, and then we'll have an evening walk on the beach, after that we'll go to bed. Jack's picking us up at nine tomorrow morning, then we'll go sort out these aliens, then I'll get a big tub of ice cream and we can snuggle up on the sofa and I can cry into you, then we'll get married, have a honeymoon, get back in time for Christmas and that should be 2012 over and done with,” he said, looking at his wrist as if consulting an imaginary watch.

She laughed and got up next to him, but frowned as he winced. “Are you gonna be okay to walk?”

He nodded, reaching into his pocket and bringing out a strange metal tube. He fumbled with it for a moment, before it shot out either end and folded out into a crutch. He then seemed to peel it in half, getting two crutches out of one.

He beamed at her, slipping his arms into them. “Ready.”

“Shouldn't your legs have healed by now?” Rose asked, concerned.

“They were rebroken about five times I think. When I went into a healing coma they were aligned wrongly so they healed all out of shape, and Martha had to re-break them again and pin them in place. So it'll be a few weeks.”

She nodded, and smiled. “Let's go and have steak.”

* * *

 

The next morning Leah was sitting in her room, deep in thought. Her mummy had gone on the mission three days ago and now her daddy had left to join her, or so Uncle Jack told her. But she knew that there was something going on that Uncle Jack didn't really want to say. 

But Leah decided she wasn't going to worry about that. She was sure if something was wrong her daddy would've told her. 

Soon her gaze drifted to the toy chest, where she knew Bundy was. She felt a little guilty at that. Toys were meant to be played with, she knew, and just knowing Bundy was lying there doing nothing was breaking her heart. Not that she’d admit it to her other toys, but Bundy had always been her favourite bear by far.

Then she suddenly had an idea. She got up off of the floor, moving to the toy chest and pulling it open. She rummaged through until she found the bear, pulling her out.

“Please leave me, Leah,” she sobbed.

“No,” Leah replied strongly. “You need to be played with. But ... maybe not by me. I've got an idea, mmkay?”

Bundy didn't answer, so Leah got to her feet and took the bear out of her room and down the corridor. She emerged into her parent's room to make towards the nursery, but instead she found Alex sitting on her parent's bed, jabbing the TV remote and watching Jeremy Kyle with fascinated eyes.

“No, no, no,” Leah began, jumping up next to her brother and taking the remote and turning onto a children’s channel. “You watch that channel, Alex.”

Alex giggled in delight at the bright colours of the cartoon on TV, and then started watching it, transfixed. Leah looked at Bundy, and gave the bear a smile.

“Alex,” she began, and held up the bear. Alex looked at her, then the bear. “D’you want this bear to keep forever?”

Alex nodded gleefully, and reached out his arms to take Bundy. He held her to his chest, and hugged Bundy tightly.

“She's called But ..” She stopped herself, and then smiled. “She's called Bundy, okay?”

Alex nodded again, and hugged the bear even tighter. Leah smiled at that.

“Take good care of her,” she told him, then slid off the bed and towards the door. She was sure she heard the little voice of bear saying, “thank you” behind her.

She smiled, and stepped out into the corridor, and almost walked head-first into her daddy.

“Daddy?” she asked, looking up at him standing there leaning on a crutch.

He smiled gently at her, her mummy by his side. “Where's your brother?”

“On your bed,” she replied, and then folded her arms with an indignant look on the face. “Where have you  _ been?” _

“Umm, long story,” he said, glancing at her mummy. “Here, we need to talk to you two.”

He ushered her back inside the bedroom, where Alex was sitting on the bed transfixed to Rastamouse.

“Alex,” her daddy began, and the boy looked up, still clutching Bundy tightly. “Me and Mummy have got something we need to do and we can't do that with you two in the Tardis, because we'll be going somewhere very dangerous. So Uncle Jack's going to look after you a bit more in Torchwood.”

“Where are you going?” Leah asked.

“Somewhere you can't,” was all he replied, serious. “Don't make me beg, Leah. We'll be fine, I promise, we just need you two somewhere we know you're safe.”

Leah sighed. “Fine,” she finally said. 

Her daddy smiled, taking her hand as her mummy picked up Alex. They took them out of the TARDIS to where Uncle Jack was waiting outside.

“Good luck,” Uncle Jack said seriously to Leah’s parents.

Her daddy just nodded at that, limping back into the TARDIS and closing the door behind her mummy.

“Right you two. Film, park, or lifeskill lessons with Uncle Jack?” Uncle Jack asked.

Leah watched as the TARDIS faded away, then looked at her uncle. “Lifeskills!” she declared.

He beamed. “Right. What did we do last time?”

“Howda hack a security mainframe,” the four-year-old replied.

“Right,” Uncle Jack replied, thinking. “Let’s do hotwiring a spaceship.”

* * *

 

“You never said, where are we going?” Rose wondered with the TARDIS in mid-flight.

He looked at her, his expression suddenly darkening. “We can't keep treating the symptoms of this level change. There is only one way to stop this.”

Rose paled slightly. “You mean ...”

“Yes,” he replied gently. “The Shadow Proclamation.”


	28. Aliens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose head to the Proclamation.

The Doctor limped out of the TARDIS on a crutch, straight into a crowd of judoon, who were pointing guns at him. Rose came up behind him, making sure the TARDIS door was firmly closed before she subtly took his hand, squeezing it.

“Doctor!” a voice suddenly said, and the woman they had come to see only in their nightmares stepped forward, gazing at the Doctor in confusion. “I didn't expect to see you here again.”

The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand in return, and then let go and moved forward. “No, neither did I,” he replied strongly. “But I'm afraid we have a problem.”

“And what might that be?”

“Earth, it needs to be downgraded back to a level five planet.”

She scoffed at that. “I'm afraid the legislations we have in place do not permit the downgrading of ...”

“Well, then make one,” the Doctor interrupted, and Rose could hear the rising edge of anger in his voice. She could feel him through the bond. “Your little illegal direct contact stint last year and upgrading of the planet has had a catastrophic effect on the humans, who are now scared of aliens and treating them with hostility. It's horrendous there. I'm about to go back and rescue a load of aliens who have fallen into the trap.”

“It is not possible.”

“Do you want  _ more  _ blood on your hands?” the Doctor grated. “The humans are interrogating and executing innocent life-forms, shooting down service ships and intercepting military transports to find them. This needs to stop, and it needs to stop  _ now _ .”

“Well, Doctor, I'm sure if you prepared a paper and presented it to the Proclamation, then we could consider ...”

“I'm not spending one minute more in here than I have to. Downgrade it.”

“Doctor, we are truly sorry for any inconvenience caused from your arrest last year ...”

“Inconvenience?!” the Doctor spat, moving forward so he was inches away from her. The barrels of the judoon guns followed him. “You call an illegal arrest, illegal captivity, the abuse of basic rights, two months of high level torture, the testing of a minor, the illegal acceleration of offspring in natural incubation and the attempted execution of two innocent people an  _ inconvenience!?” _

The woman cleared her throat, looking at the floor, uncomfortable. “We regret the ...”

“I don't even want to hear it!” the Doctor yelled at her, so angrily one of the judoon made to grab his arm but he wrenched it away, glaring at the judoon with his eyes so on fire that Rose thought the Judoon might turn to ash where it stood. 

“I am sorry, Doctor, but we simply cannot consider ...”

“I know why you did it,” the Doctor interrupted lowly, so low Rose was struggling to hear. “And the future can go one of two ways, as far as I can see.”

“Are you blackmailing the Proclamation?” she asked incredulously. 

“No!” the Doctor shouted in a tone that implied she was the biggest idiot he had ever talked to in his life. “I'm saying that  _ you _ are in a very difficult position, Ms. Proclamation. I have no intention of seeing that future happen and I know you don't either. So maybe you should start doing what I say and perhaps I'll be able to save your scrawny lives and your little corrupt organisation.”

The woman stood there motionless for a moment, staring at him.

“Besides,” the Doctor continued. “If you don't lower it again, I will find a way to lower it myself.” His voice suddenly dropped again, staring into her eyes unblinkingly as he spat the next sentence out of his mouth, punctuating every syllable as though he were hammering a nail into her head. “What. Ev. Er. It. Takes.”

He gazed at her, waiting for a reply.

“... We will downgrade Earth to level five,” she muttered.

“Thank you,” the Doctor replied, then simply turned, took Rose's hand again and went back into the TARDIS.

* * *

 

Rose breathed out a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her, the TARDIS churning into life at her bonded partner's touch. “God, you're scary when you wanna be.”

“I'm not God,” he replied, a grin spreading onto his face.

“Well, you're pretty close,” she pointed out.

His grin widened even more at that, before the TARDIS landed with a thunk.

“Let's go save a few lives and then have dinner,” the Doctor said, smiling at her.

“Sounds like a plan,” she told him. “Chinese?”

He shrugged, indifferent. “I'll have what you're having.”

She beamed, linking her arm in his. He limped to the door and pulled it open to look out.

They’d emerged outside a warehouse in some industrial estate, the area around them dark and silent. Rose closed the TARDIS door behind them, and they began to walk slowly towards the giant warehouse doors. The Doctor brought out the sonic and buzzed it over the control panel, the device beeping politely and turning green. There was a loud clunk, the hiss of hydraulics, and the doors began to open. 

The Doctor and Rose's jaws simultaneously dropped. 

The warehouse was partitioned off into several sections of prison cells. All of them were absolutely packed to the brim with aliens standing in absolute silence, staring at the Doctor and Rose with slight trepidation. There had to be  _ at least  _ 500 of them ...

Then suddenly a voice yelled, “Doctor! Oh, I totally knew you'd come!”

The Doctor blinked in surprise, limping in and looking around the cells for the source of the voice.

“S’cuse! S'cuse! S'cuse! Coming through!” the voice yelled, pushing past people until they finally got to the front of the cell, and the Doctor turned his head to see Yash standing there, his face gleeful and pressed up against the bars.

“Yash?!” the Doctor gaped. “What are you  _ doing _ here ... No, wait, not time. Everyone out!”

He reached up and buzzed the lock with the sonic screwdriver. It sprang open instantly and he pulled back the door.

“Okay, everyone, please follow Rose and she'll take you into the Tardis, then once we're all in I'll drop you home,” he instructed carefully to them.

“Yessir!” Yash exclaimed excitedly.

“Quietly!” the Doctor said quickly.

They began to file out of the cell as quietly as they could, moving to Rose who nodded at the Doctor before turning and leading them back to the TARDIS. Yash darted out of the line to join the Doctor, hopping excitedly from foot to foot.

“Thanks for coming when I called!” he told the Doctor happily as they moved to the next cell.

The Doctor blinked. He'd called? “Umm ... sure. Why are you on Earth?” he asked the young alien seriously, buzzing the door and pulling it open, though held up a hand to stop the people from filing out just yet, watching the other line.

“I, like, heard Earth was a level six now I thought, 'hey I'm totally going there!' so I just packed up and caught the flight!” Yash told the Doctor excitedly. “What is this place, anyway? I was sitting in this café, like, totally minding my own business and suddenly this random woman started screaming and next thing I knew I was here! Is this what humans call a 'hotel'? Cos I think it is!”

“Err, no, Yash,” the Doctor replied shortly, and gestured for the crowd to start moving and join the back of the other line before moving to the next cell. “There's a political Earth group who are anti-alien, the Earth has been downgraded back to a level five now so once I drop you back home can you spread the word that no one should come to ...” He trailed off, pausing in unlocking the next cell at Yash's expression. “What?”

“Umm, I can't really go back,” Yash admitted ruefully.

“What? Why?”

“Well, I didn't just pack up and leave, you know? I packed up, told Mum everything I thought about her, got a taxi to the space-port and ran without paying, dodged the security and hid in the cargo deck to the Sol galaxy station, then security got me so I outsmarted them like you would and pegged it to the Earth flight dock, slid under the door when it was closing and hid in the toilet all flight. I'm kinda on a wanted list! Funny, huh?” 

“Oh, Yash,” the Doctor sighed, letting out the next cell of people. 

“But it's okay!” Yash said, enthused. “Cos I'm staying here! I've got some Earth money, I can get a house, I'll stay indoors or something!”

The Doctor looked at Yash, and he let out the final cell of people. “How much earth money do you have?”

“I have ...” he dug into his pocket and drew out some coins, handing them to the Doctor. “This!”

The Doctor gazed at the three 10 krona coins in his hand, totalling 30 krona. He frowned a little, and Yash caught this.

“That's ... not good?” Yash asked quietly, his face dropping slightly.

The Doctor looked up at him again. “Yash ... this is Swedish currency, and you're in England. This is about 2.80 in pound sterling.”

“... How much is a house?” Yash wondered.

The Doctor paused, pursing his lips for a moment. “... Quite a lot more.”

“Oh,” Yash muttered, and suddenly the Doctor saw the young alien do something Yash had never done before. He looked sad.

“Hey,” the Doctor said quickly, hand on his shoulder. “As I see it, you've got two options. Either I take you home or you stay here, what's it gonna be?”

“I wanna stay here,” Yash said smally.

“Then you're staying,” the Doctor told him.

“But I don't have any money or anything and I'm an alien,” Yash said sadly.

“What's money? It's nothing. I can get you a house. I can get you a rechargeable morphic box too, we just need to find you a job ... What are you good at?”

“Umm ...” Yash said, suddenly perking up again. “Err ...”

“Wait,” the Doctor said quickly. “Those drawings of me in your room. Did you do those?”

Yash nodded. “Why?”

“Why not be an artist? Or a cartoonist?”

“... People have jobs about drawing on Earth?” Yash asked, utterly dumbfounded.

“Yep,” the Doctor replied.

“I love this planet!” Yash enthused, and launched forward to hug the Doctor tightly. The Doctor stumbled slightly in surprise, before finally hugging Yash in return.

“Now, come on, help me get these people back to their rightful planets and then I can sort you out,” the Doctor said with a grin, letting go of Yash and following the last of the 500-strong crowd out of the door. It was going to be a  _ long _ afternoon.

* * *

 

They were just getting the last of the aliens into the TARDIS, when suddenly there was a shout from outside the warehouse gates. The Doctor looked up to find several people armed with guns yelling and beckoning others.

“Everyone get in!” the Doctor urged, pushing the last of them inside the TARDIS doors and making to follow, but suddenly there was a gunshot and a bullet ricocheted off of the TARDIS exterior. 

He yelped and stumbled away, putting his arm in the air as suddenly him and the TARDIS were surrounded by men with guns. “Please don't shoot my Tardis,” he said seriously.

“Your what?! Boss!” one of the guards yelled, and a man in a black suit stepped through the crowd to regard the Doctor. The Doctor frowned slightly ... he recognised that face. This was Alex Grimshaw, the party leader of anti-alien political group.

To his complete surprise, Alex Grimshaw seemed to be frowning at him too.

“You're that crazy Scottish man, aren't you?” Grimshaw asked.

“You're Alex Grimshaw,” the Doctor said simply. “ _ You  _ shot down Friz and Rix?”

“What and what?” Grimshaw asked seriously, stepping forward slightly towards the Doctor, closing to a two metre gap between them. 

“The two living sentient beings that were only here on a pest control job before their utterly defenceless and weaponless ship was shot down ... by  _ you,”  _ the Doctor grated.

“You took my aliens from me!” Grimshaw realised, suddenly very angry.

“ _ Your  _ aliens?!” the Doctor said, gaping in disbelief.

“I shot them down, they belong to me, where are they!?”

“ _ Belong  _ to you!?” The Doctor couldn't believe he was hearing this. “Nobody owns them.”

“Where  _ are _ they!?” Grimshaw spat.

“I took them back to their home planet,” the Doctor replied shortly.

Grimshaw stared at him for a moment, considering the bony tall man standing in front of him, one hand in the air and the other leaning on a crutch. “You look human,” he muttered.

“Funny, that,” the Doctor replied, nonchalant. 

“You're an alien.”

“We catch on fast, don't we?”

Grimshaw turned back to his guards, and gestured to the Doctor. “Take this alien and this ...” His eyes moved to the TARDIS, and he frowned a little. “... 1960s police box to confinement!”

“Doctor?” a voice suddenly came from the TARDIS doorway, interrupting any move the guards may have made.

“Another one!” Grimshaw scoffed, staring at Rose with utter malice.

“Rose, get back inside,” the Doctor told her sternly.

Of course she wasn't going to. “Another what?” she wondered, looking at Grimshaw. “... Oh! You're that xenophobe racist politics guy.”

“I'm afraid I don't take notice of cheap insults from aliens,” Grimshaw drawled.

“Alien?” Rose asked, scoffing with laughter. “I was born on this planet to a very human mum and dad, thanks very much.”

Grimshaw blinked slightly, surprised. He looked between her and the alien, standing there close together ...

Rose looked at his face, and laughed a little more. “My god, you just can't get that concept can you? Me and this alien here,” she said, gesturing to the Doctor who was staring at her with a slight sense of trepidation. “Me and him, we're married in his planet's law, and we're engaged and going to marry in three weeks here on Earth.”

“You're married to it?” Grimshaw gasped, not quite sure how to process this.

“We've got two children,” she continued, smiling broadly. The Doctor could see she was quite clearly enjoying this. “Leah, she's four, and ... oh, our seven-month-old, Alex. That's your name, isn't it?”

“... You've had sex with it?!” Grimshaw practically shrieked.

“That's usually how you get babies, isn't it?” she replied, slightly sarcastically.

“This ... This is disgusting!” Grimshaw gasped, eyes wide in horror. “This is interbreeding!”

“This is your future,” the Doctor told him seriously. “The future of your planet. I wouldn't try to fight it. In roughly seventy years the first legal multi-species wedding will take place in Westminster Abbey. Because it'll be the King wedding a nice young Linian woman called Girkila. Linians have shimmering skin that changes with their mood. It's quite pretty.”

“What?!”

“I am a time-travelling alien, Mr Grimshaw,” the Doctor said politely. 

“You're lying,” Grimshaw said quickly, his eyes still as wide as dinner plates. 

“Well, if you don't want to believe me, that's your loss. I'm going to give you a little peek at the future here, which technically I shouldn't really be doing, Laws of Time and all that,” he said with a shrug, arm still in the air. “But I'll dare say a few aliens have met a few humans already. You'll start seeing the children of that in about ten years. Then of course, that starts an uproar about interspecies pregnancies and the legal rights of the children who technically don't legally exist, so an entirely new law book has to be written. Then there's a bit of a trying time with back house abortions, segregation and illegal marriages with Gretna Green making a roaring comeback, but eventually all the alien child rights groups start up their charity concerts and they get equal rights. Everything gets signed in the year 2085 and three minutes later the King, and Girkila, the Linian, get married. 

“Then everything changes, Mr Grimshaw. By the year 2400 planet Earth has intergalactic transport connections to all the major space-ports and the humans have spread out right across the stars, interbreeding with many, many other species. There are so many interspecies and half-species and eighths of species of children running around that racism becomes pretty much impossible. Imagine that, Mr Grimshaw. A place without racism. Without prejudice. Where the human race actually treat each other as humans. And you know what else? Your descendants will look on you as an inferior, stupid race only found in the history books, such as you might look on yours. That is all there is to it. I've seen the future, Mr Grimshaw. And you're not in it.”

Grimshaw looked very pale indeed.

“If you still want to kill me, then go ahead. Or maybe you'll want to devote your time to something a little less on the murderous sycophantic xenophobic side of things,” the Doctor suggested casually.

There was a very long pause.

“Sir ...” a guard suddenly said from the side, a little nervous. Grimshaw didn't even acknowledge him, so the guard just placed his gun on the floor. “I ... I resign.”

“Me too,” another one said, putting down his gun also. Then suddenly they were all putting their guns to the floor, stepping back away from Grimshaw.

Grimshaw didn't look at them, just staring at the Doctor. “... What should I do?” he asked anxiously. “How can I be in the future?”

“You want to be in the future?” the Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow. “What you do, is you get rid of your anti-alien party. Then you do everything you can to help the cross-breeders, campaigning for change for your entire life. And maybe, if you're good, it might all happen a bit quicker.”

Grimshaw gazed at him for a moment longer, then nodded eagerly. “Yes ... I will.”

The Doctor nodded courteously, finally lowering his hand and taking Rose's. “Good luck, Mr Grimshaw,” he said, and turned back to the TARDIS door. 

“Wait!” Grimshaw said quickly, and the Doctor turned back. “What's your name?”

“I'm the Doctor,” the Doctor said. “I am a Time Lord Gallifreyan from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous.”

Grimshaw nodded, and for the first time the Doctor saw him smile. Then he turned, and ran back towards the gate.

“Alex Grimshaw, thought I recognised the name,” the Doctor admitted as he reached out to rest a hand on the TARDIS door handle. “Key campaigner for the alien rights movement. Really changes the course of history, everything speeds up by about 40 years. Oh, and I'm in his legendary 'I have a dream' speech of 2043...”

Rose giggled at that. “But he seemed to change when he thought he wasn't gonna be famous in the future. Does he do it for the glory or the reward?”

The Doctor shrugged. “Who knows? But all that matters is that he does it. Plus there's no one to fuel the fire of scaremongering the human race anymore. Everything will happen as it will happen and there's no one to prevent that future now.” He looked at the TARDIS door he was still resting his hand on, and sighed. “Time to taxi five hundred people,” he muttered, completely unexcited at the prospect.

She giggled. “Hey, it's the last one. Then we'll go get food.”

He grinned in return, pushed the door inwards, and they stepped inside.


	29. Kiana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor helps Yash into his new life on Earth. Something surprising turns up on Torchwood’s doorstep.

It took around eight hours to deliver every single alien back to their home planet, and another hour to sort out Yash, with Jack’s help. The Doctor flew Yash to his new house in a small town in Devon.

Yash had thanked him for everything, giving both the Doctor and Rose a huge hug of gratitude, followed by one for Leah and another for Alex.

“Oh, this is gonna be  _ so  _ awesome!” Yash enthused, looking around at his brand new home. All for him, and no one else. “Thanks so much, I really owe you, Doctor!”

“You owe me nothing,” the Doctor assured him with a grin. “Now, you know what you're doing? Got Torchwood's contact details? Know how to use the internet and the phone?”

Yash nodded, beaming. “I can use 'em all!”

“Good,” the Doctor replied, then suddenly frowned and dug into his pocket, drawing out a slim silver box. “Nearly forgot. This is yours.” He handed the box to Yash.

Yash looked like he'd just been given the crown jewels, holding it with absolute care. “Is this ...?”

The Doctor nodded. “Morphic Box, four uses should last you about a ten hour spurt each, but then it needs an hour to recharge.”

Yash nodded so hard the Doctor thought his neck might break.

“Now, be good, don't do anything I wouldn't do, and maybe you'll want to talk to your mum?” he suggested gently.

“Umm ... Yeah,” Yash muttered, looking a little awkward.

“I've kicked up your phone for universal roaming and your computer accesses universal connections as well. But just lay low for a while, don't draw any attention to yourself. That wanted stuff'll blow over and I'll wipe the records,” the Doctor told him. 

Yash nodded gleefully. “Thank you so much! You're totally the best!”

“I know,” the Doctor agreed with a grin, and turned to limp back to the TARDIS, letting the others in first before he stepped in, and turned back to Yash for one last exchange.

“Let me know how you're getting on. Any problems, anything, contact Torchwood and ask for Jack. And ... just ... be happy. All right?”

“Yeah!” Yash enthused, punching the air and almost sending the morphic box flying. He yelped and quickly caught it again, looking back at the Doctor guiltily as he held it against his chest, wide-eyed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Good luck, Yash,” he said, then went inside and shut the door.

Yash stared as the churning began and the TARDIS began to fade, until there was nothing in front of him and he was standing in the middle of his new house, staring at a blank wall.

He sighed a very long sigh. “Man, I am  _ so  _ crushing on him,” he muttered, then turned to go and find out how the television worked.

* * *

 

They got chinese food, and everyone got it all over their faces. Alex was clearly a little disappointed that everyone else seemed to be eating lots of fun-looking challenging food while he had a bowl of pulverised rice and peas. So he took a handful and smeared it all over his face as well so he could join in with the mess. 

By the end of it the whole table and family were covered in it. So after multiple baths the Doctor put Alex to bed and Rose got Leah into her pyjamas before the little girl went to play for a while before bed.

Rose found the Doctor sitting on their bed, staring listlessly at the wall. This was the comedown, now. She moved in to kneel next to him, hugging him tightly.

“Thinkin' about your mum?” she wondered quietly.

He nodded, then a tear slid down his face. She kissed him softly and held him some more.

“I ... wish she could've stayed,” the Doctor muttered. “Just a bit longer. Why couldn't she have been real?”

“I know,” she said gently, still holding him. “But at least you got the chance to talk to her again, yeah? And your dad.”

He nodded silently, sniffing back more tears though he couldn't stop them coming. She kissed him again, rubbing his back comfortingly.

There was suddenly a tiny knock on the door and it opened to reveal Leah standing there holding Floppy, peeking in. Her face fell at the sight that greeted her.

Rose let go of the Doctor and shuffled over to the end of the bed, dropping to stand in front of the door. She took Leah's hand and led her back down the corridor.

“Mummy, why is Daddy crying?” Leah asked quietly.

Rose looked at her sadly. “Because Granny Penny died, sweetheart.”

“Oh,” Leah muttered, looking at the floor. “I liked her.”

“Me too,” Rose replied. “Now come on, time for bed.”

“Yeah ...” Leah muttered. “... Can I go and hug Daddy first?”

Rose nodded. “Of course you can. But straight to bed afterwards.”

Leah nodded, letting go of her hand and running back down the corridor and to her parent's bedroom. Rose followed to see her daughter already hugging him. Only after a while did she finally part from him, gazing straight into his eyes and giving him a reassuring smile. 

He reached out to brush her hair back from her eyes, his eyes watering again. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” she told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek before getting off the bed again and running out the door, almost colliding with Jack coming the other way.

“Sorry, Uncle Jack!” she yelled, and was off again in a flash. Jack shook his head in bemusement, stepping into the bedroom.

“You okay?” Jack asked the Doctor gently.

The Doctor nodded, wiping at his eyes. “What is it?”

“Err ...” He pulled a face. “Brace yourself.”

“What?”

“Ianto just found a basket in the shop front, it's addressed to you. There's a note; I didn't open it.”

“And ....?” the Doctor wondered vaguely.

“Oh, yeah,” Jack said, as if the thought had just occurred to him. “In the basket ... there's a baby.”

* * *

 

Jack wasn't lying. There was indeed a baby wrapped up in old cloths and towels crying its lungs out inside the basket. Rose took the infant and tried to comfort her as best she could as the Doctor took the note and opened it. It was in Gallifreyan. That meant it could really only be from one person.

_ It's called Kianavolunthranmera. I don't want it. _

The Doctor blinked, flipping over the paper to see if there was anything else, but there was nothing.

“What does it say?” Rose asked, still trying to calm down the baby but it was apparent she was starving and needed changing.

“I  _ think  _ this is a present from the Master ...” the Doctor muttered.

“The Master?” Rose repeated disbelievingly. “Why the heck has he …?”

“I think we need to go to Daufor,” the Doctor muttered.

* * *

 

The TARDIS churned into existence outside the Master's house in Daufor. Roughly ten seconds later the door opened and the Doctor and Rose shuffled out, having managed to feed, change and dress the infant to calm her down. She was now just lying in Rose's arms swaddled in new blankets, staring up at the world with bright blue eyes.

The Doctor glanced at Rose. “Okay?”

She nodded, looking down at the girl. “What did you say her name was?”

“Kianavolunthranmera,” the Doctor replied. “Kiana for short. It's a Gallifreyan name.”

“It's pretty,” Rose said quietly, then looked up at the house. The living room light was on.

The Doctor moved up the weed-ridden garden to the front door, raising his hand and knocking three times. This felt like deja vu. He waited a few moments, and then tried again. No answer, though he could hear the television going inside.

He whipped out his sonic screwdriver and buzzed the door. It clicked and he pushed down the handle, stepping inside.

“Doesn't a locked door mean  _ anything  _ to you?” a voice came from the living room and seconds later the Master walked out, looked a little more than irritated.

“I got your delivery,” the Doctor replied simply, gesturing to Kiana in Rose's arms. “Fancy telling me why?”

“Go away,” the Master spat. “And take it with you.”

“It,” the Doctor repeated, irritated. “I'm going to assume that you were a little busy roughly nine months ago and this might just be the product.”

“Assume what you like,” the Master spat. “I'm not interested. It's yours, now. Kill it for all I care.”

“Kill it?” Rose repeated in a gasp, looking at the Doctor. “This is his daughter, right?”

“I think so,” the Doctor replied, stepping towards the Master. “Just what is going on? How in the universe do you have a baby and why do I now have it?”

“I'm just asking for a favour, Theta.”

“Don't call me Theta,” the Doctor grated, stepping forward so they were inches apart. “And you want a favour from me? After everything you did?”

“Yeah, why the hell should we help you?” Rose wanted to know.

The Master looked at Rose, then Kiana, then the Doctor, and sighed. “Look, Doctor, could we talk without the blonde?”

“Where I go she goes,” the Doctor replied simply. 

“Just take that thing and leave, then.”

“This is your daughter,” the Doctor reminded him.

“And?” the Master wondered cruelly. 

“God you're pathetic,” Rose spat. “You're just going to abandon her? Your own daughter?”

“Why not?”

“Because she’s your daughter!”

“I don't want anything to do with ... That thing.”

“This 'thing' is your child!” Rose yelled.

“I don't care!” the Master grated in return. “If you leave it here I'm not going to touch it. I want nothing to do with it. Either leave it here with me, or take it with you. It's your choice.”

* * *

 

Twenty seconds later they were back out into the front garden, the front door slamming closed behind them.

“Well,” the Doctor began, looking at Rose.

“Well,” she echoed, staring at him in return.

“I guess we'll keep her name,” the Doctor muttered, scratching the back of his head. “She can have Leah's old room.”

Rose nodded, and looked at the baby in her arms. “I s’pose you're callin' me Mum,” she supposed.

Kiana just made a cooing sound, as if agreeing, before she closed her eyes to sleep.

* * *

 

“Leah, Alex, this is Kiana,” the Doctor told the children gently, showing them the little baby lying in the cot. “Treat her like a sister.”

“You had another baby and you didn't tell me?” Leah suddenly said, hands on hips, eyes staring into her father's.

“No, no, Leah,” the Doctor said quickly. “She's not our baby.”

“Didja steal her?” Leah asked, jaw agape.

The Doctor and Rose glanced at each other. “No ...” the Doctor began. “We've ... adopted her.”

“What does adopted mean?” she asked, still staring at him.

“Her daddy isn't a very nice person,” Rose told her gently. “So me and Dad have taken her in to raise her.”

“Who's her daddy?” Leah wondered next.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged another glance before the Doctor answered her. “The Master.” 

Leah's eyes widened, looking back at the baby lying there, so the Doctor quickly continued.

“But we're going to raise her like one of us, she's only a baby so she's not going to be anything like him. So treat her as sister.”

Leah looked at the baby some more, then nodded. “Okay,” she said, then turned to leave.

“Leah,” the Doctor said quickly.

“Mmm?” Leah asked, turning back around again.

“Miho'afa n-ce'gear eon’piak’yaira?” he asked.

“Here we go again,” Rose muttered.

Leah smiled broadly. “Lei-o alok, Pohh. N-ei’aggrev’qe.”

The Doctor gazed at her. “Lera?”

She nodded, still smiling. “Fia! Qe'afa’aggrev.”

The Doctor finally spread a smile. “Prea, min. N-je'af'qe’yaira, gili?”

“Areli!” she said, and disappeared out the door before the Doctor could reply.

Rose looked at him. “Seriously, what are you two going on about?”

“Nothing,” the Doctor insisted, grinning away. 

She sighed. “Hey, we never did find out why the Master had a baby. Or where the mum is.”

The Doctor winced. “Not sure I want to know,” he said, then he boosted up Alex in his grip, who hugged his neck tightly. “C'mon, Alex, come and play with me,” he said, kissing him before leaving out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miho'afa n-ce'gear eon’piak’yaira? - How is that thing you were worried about?  
> Lei-o alok, Pohh. N-ei’aggrev’qe. - Do not worry, Daddy. I sorted it.   
> Lera? - Really?   
> Fia! Qe'afa’aggrev. - Yes! It is sorted.   
> Prea, min. N-je'af'qe’yaira, gili? - Well, good. What was it about, anyway?   
> Areli! - Nothing!


	30. The Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose finally get married. The Doctor abruptly realises he’s forgotten something very important about human weddings.

“So you're getting married to Mummy?” Leah wondered as the Doctor straightened out her bridesmaid dress three weeks later on the morning of the wedding.

“Yes,” he told her patiently, taking a hair brush and brushing her long brown hair carefully. 

“Aren't you already married?” 

“No, we're not,” he replied. “Not in Earth law, anyway.”

“Why not?”

“What is this, twenty-one questions?” he asked seriously. “We just never felt the need to do it before.”

“Why now?”

“Why not?” the Doctor countered. “I'm just going to be proving to your mum how much I love her.”

Leah's face crinkled up into a cute smile. “Aww!”

“Yeah, I know,” the Doctor said meekly, sliding the clip into her hair and stepping back to admire his work. “Look at that!” He grabbed her shoulders and turned her back and forth in front of the mirror.

“Mummy's much better than you,” she told him seriously.

“Hey!” he protested. “I'm trying my best.”

She just beamed and reached up for a hug, which he reciprocated.

“Now, make sure you've been to the toilet and everything then we'll meet Uncle Jack and leave,” he said when he'd pulled back. She nodded, and instantly ran off into the bathroom just as the door opened to reveal Alex standing there, staring up at his father wearing a suit that was a little too big for him, his hair all over the place.

“Alex!” Rose's voice yelled from outside. “Come back!”

“Rose!” the Doctor said quickly, spinning around on his heel to face the opposite wall. “If I see you your mum'll kill me!”

“Don't worry, I'm not comin' in!” Rose told him from outside the door. “Alex, c'mere, I need to do your hair!”

Alex ran to his Daddy and clung onto his leg for dear life.

“I don't think he wants it done!” the Doctor yelled back, picking up the boy.

“C'mon, Alex!” she begged. “Else mum'll kill me!”

“Are you seeing the one constant here?” the Doctor wondered to the boy, who just giggled and hugged his neck.

“Alex!” Rose called again.

“Don't worry, I'll sort him out!” the Doctor yelled back, sitting him on Leah's bed. He took a comb and ran it through Alex's hair, who began to wail and cry and bat it away with his hands.

“Okay, okay,” the Doctor conceded, pulling away the comb, and instead patted his son’s hair down slightly to little effect as it sprung up again instantly at his touch. “Oh blimey,” he muttered. 

“Have you done it yet?” Rose wondered from outside the door.

“Umm ... Yes! He's ready! Get going, we'll see you there!” he lied, staring at the mess of Alex in front of him with wide eyes. Jackie wouldn't notice, would she?

“Okay! Bye!” Rose yelled back, and there was the sound of running footsteps backup the corridor.

“Bye!” the Doctor yelled back and waited for the footsteps to disappear, before looking back at Alex. “Alex, just ... hide from your gran, okay?”

Alex giggled and nodded.

* * *

 

Roughly thirty minutes later the Doctor was stood in the little room Martha and Mickey had got married in but a couple of months previously, standing there waiting to greet everyone as they arrived. Jack was with him, watching him carefully.

“You wanna sit down?” Jack asked the Doctor seriously, realising he'd been stood up for about ten minutes straight now.

The Doctor nodded, wincing a little at the pain in his legs. They still weren't fully healed and according to the scanners it would be another two weeks until they were, so Jack fetched the wheelchair he'd thought to bring and pushed the Doctor to sit in it before they waited some more for the others to arrive.

“You nervous?” Jack wondered, looking at the alien sitting in the wheelchair with his hands currently running back and forth through his hair. The alien stopped, stared at Jack and pulled a half-smile.

“Yeah,” he confessed. “I don't know why.”

“It'll be fine,” Jack assured him. “Know your vows?”

The Doctor instantly froze. By the look on his face alone Jack could tell the thought of vows had never even entered his mind.

“Uh oh,” Jack muttered.

But before the Doctor could reply to this, the first of the guests appeared. It was Jackie and Tony, both looking very dressed up with Tony in a cumbersome suit with his hair combed and parted. He looked like he'd had a very bad morning.

“Hello!” the Doctor said brightly, sticking out a hand to Jackie and Tony in turn. 

“Your hair is a bloody mess!” Jackie told him seriously, reaching forward to try and straighten it out. It made no effect whatsoever. “Don't you have alien Brylcreem or somethin'?”

Instantly the Doctor realised just how much he was going to get killed when she saw Alex. “Not ... as such.”

“And bloody hell, your tie!” was her next complaint, yanking it and pulling it so tight he was choking. “I knew I should've dressed you this mornin'! Don't you go messin' Rose's big day! I don't want any alien invasions interruptin' anythin' neither!”

“'Kay,” was all the Doctor managed to choke through his tie. Thankfully Jackie moved on and Jack dived forward quickly to loosen it from around the Doctor's throat. 

“Thanks,” the Doctor wheezed, chest rising and falling rapidly just as Martha, Gwen, Rhys and Ianto entered.

“Hello!” the Doctor said again brightly, sticking out his hand from them all to shake. “Thanks for coming.”

“Wouldn't have missed it for the world,” Martha assured him, leaning forward and hugging him. “How are your legs?”

“Couple of weeks to heal,” he replied.

“I'll check them over later, if you like,” she told him. “Maybe sort out some physiotherapy.”

The Doctor nodded. “Thanks,” he said, then looked at Gwen and Rhys. Gwen was holding Kiana. “Thanks for looking after Kiana. Where's Anwen?”

“She's at my mum's,” Gwen said, then nodded at Rhys. “This silly oaf didn't pick her up and we didn't wanna be late,” she joked, smiled.

“You love me really!” Rhys insisted, then kissed her cheek happily.

They both giggled and moved off with Martha to take a seat, Kiana happy in Gwen's arms.

“Feels nice not to be making the teas and coffees,” Ianto said.

“Well, I've got no idea what Jackie's planned or how a wedding works so really you actually could be,” the Doctor confessed with an apologetic shrug.

“You're not,” Jack told him, grinning. “See you at the party and we'll have our own honeymoon afterwards ...”

“Person sitting right here,” the Doctor reminded him.

Jack just beamed and winked at Ianto, who nodded and moved to sit down. Then Jack noticed the Doctor was staring at him. “What?”

“When are you proposing?” he asked the ex-Time Agent seriously.

“I'm not,” Jack replied. “I like it this way. It's like we're just dating ...”

“You mean you're each other's booty calls.”

Jack paused, lips pursed. “That's a very human phrase for a respectable elderly alien such as yourself, Doctor.”

“Elderly?” the Doctor repeated, but quickly had to tear himself away to greet Sarah. “Hi, Sarah!”

“Oh, Jack warned me you'd thrown yourself into a blender again,” she said, looking at him sat in the wheelchair. “There is a concept called safety, you know,” she said, laughing and reaching down to hug him. 

He beamed as she drew away. “Thank you so much for coming.”

“You're very welcome,” she assured him. “Can't say I ever imagined this day, though. You, getting married! I mean, I know you and Rose have been practically married for years but this is very odd.”

“I know,” he replied, laughing. “As odd as you having a son when I first found out.”

“We both grew up,” she supposed with a smile, then turned to gesture to the people behind her. “I've brought Luke, Clyde and Rani, I hope you don't mind.”

“Not at all,” he said, reaching out to greet them all in turn. “Any friend of Sarah Jane Smith is a friend of mine.”

They all thanked him for letting them come and everyone went to take a seat.

“That's everyone,” Jack said, grabbing the wheelchair handles and pushing him up the aisle to where the UNIT registrar, Martha's friend, was waiting, parking him in the appropriate place. “You've got about fifteen seconds to work on those vows ...”

“What did you just say?” suddenly came Jackie's voice from the front row, and they both looked up to see Jackie sitting there was her arms folded, looking incongruous.

“Nothing,” Jack said quickly, then turned back to the Doctor. “Seriously, good luck,” he said, hugged him, and then went down to take his seat just as the music started up and Leah and Alex appeared at the doorway to walk down the aisle.

“Alex!” Leah hissed to her little brother beside her, feeling everyone's eyes on them. “Just do what I do, okay? It's really easy.”

Alex nodded and she took his hand, holding her bouquet in the other as they began to walk forward. Alex suddenly caught sight of his daddy at the top of the aisle and beamed, waving enthusiastically. The Doctor waved back with a smile.

“Alex!” Leah hissed, nudging him. “Don't do that!”

Alex looked away from his daddy and continued down the aisle with the music still going. They finally reached the top, beamed broadly at a mission succeeded and went to take their seats by Jackie and Jack.

Then everyone rose to their feet as the music burst into a crescendo, the doors opening to reveal Rose standing there with Mickey's arm linked in her's. She began down the aisle with her dress trailing along the floor, smiling so broadly her whole face was aching quite badly. But she just couldn't wipe it off. 

“Y'know, I always imagined a weddin' with you but I never imagined pretendin' to be the father of the bride,” Mickey said seriously to her in an undertone as they walked.

“Yeah?” she said with a giggle. “I didn't imagine it like this either.”

“Yeah. Hey, check out your groom,” Mickey said, nodding to the Doctor and grinning. Rose looked, and resisted the overwhelming urge to snort with laughter. The Doctor's face was an absolute picture.

The Doctor himself was sure his jaw had dropped so far he swore could actually feel it scraping the carpet. She was absolutely beautiful in every sense of the phrase, striding towards him holding her bouquet in her hands so tightly, smiling so broadly and gazing at him with those beautiful eyes. The conveniently placed skylight was illuminating her in a bright glow, her blonde hair in curls around her face. She looked like an angel – absolutely nothing less. Even though he could see the dust in the sunbeams of dead Vashta Nerada currently covering her, but he wasn't really thinking about that, because that wasn't a beautiful thought.

He suddenly didn't want to be sitting down. He pushed himself out of the wheelchair, struggling to get upright until he was standing on two feet. Pain shot through his still healing legs but he didn't care. He wanted to stand for this.

Finally Mickey and Rose reached him, and he could now see she was smiling so much it looked like she was in an incredible amount of pain. He took Rose's hand, and helped her up the step onto the platform before reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from her eyes.

“You look ... so beautiful,” he whispered.

“I know!” she squeaked, obviously trying desperately not to laugh at the expression on his face, coupled with the fact her mum was inconspicuously wiping tears from her eyes.

He grinned at that, then they both turned to face the registrar.

“Good afternoon, everyone, I am the registrar assigned from Unit,” the registrar began. “We are here today to witness the marriage of the Doctor and Rose Tyler. In each other's company they have found happiness, fulfilment and love, and they wish to affirm their relationship with this marriage. But before we begin, I must ask, if anyone can show just cause or impediment why these two should not be married, may they speak now, or forever hold their peace.”

Silent seconds rolled by. Jackie looked obviously around the gathering with an expression on her face that dared anyone to even  _ try. _

“I believe someone has prepared a reading?” the registrar asked.

“Me! Me!” Leah said quickly, jumping to her feet and running to the stage to stand in front of her parent's clutching a piece of paper and obviously trying to steal the limelight. She opened the paper, cleared her throat and began.

“I call this, 'My Mummy and Daddy',” she began. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He didn't know anything about this. “My Mummy and Daddy are the best, they are better than the rest! They save the world every day and everything's always really okay! We travel round and fight bad people, sometimes on top of a tower steeple. Daddy's really tall and Mummy's really pretty, and they both really like Holby City! When I'm sad they hug me tight and when I'm bad they set me right! They make me dinner with all the things I like, but I don't think they have a friend called Mike. But they could, and they might, because they don't fight! Well sometimes they do but that doesn't rhyme. Anyway,” she cleared her throat and continued. “Daddy teaches me things so I can rhyme, things like ei wi-lera’mina’kime! Mummy wakes me up everyday, she's always got breakfast on a tray. I really like them and I'm sure you do too, 'cos we all live in a box that's blue. I love them both really a lot, even if Daddy is sometimes a clot. The end! Uncle Jack helped me with some of the rhymes,” she said, smiling and bowing to the audience as they whooped and cheered her.

The Doctor and Rose stood there with their jaws agape, staring at Leah who finished bowing and went back to her seat where Jack gave her a congratulatory hug.

“Did you know she was going to do that?” the Doctor asked Rose seriously.

“No ...”

“I understand you have prepared vows?” the registrar asked in an interruption. Rose nodded, turning to the Doctor, who, after a moment's pause, turned to her.

“You can go first,” she invited him.

“No, really, you,” the Doctor replied quickly, glancing at Jack who was giving convert thumbs up, looking nervously at Jackie sat beside him every other second.

“You have written vows, yeah?” Rose muttered.

“Of course,” the Doctor lied.

She rolled her eyes. She knew. “Okay. I’ll give you a minute to think of ‘em.”

“ … Thanks,” he murmured sheepishly.

She giggled at that, took a breath, looked at the floor, then back at him, and began.

“You’re my best friend, my mentor, and my soul-mate. When I’m cryin’ you make me laugh, and you make me laugh so hard that I cry. You make me wanna try things and do things I never even thought of before. You take me to amazin’ planets to see amazin’ people and amazin’ sights that no other human would be able to see. You’ve changed me as a person and I’m so glad of that. You’re my everythin’, and I vow that I’m gonna give you everythin’ you’ve given me - heart, mind, body and soul. Thank you for everything we’ve done so far, and what we’re gonna do together in the future. Or the past. Whichever one we fancy.”

She finished, and they could both quite clearly hear Jackie sobbing, blowing her nose into a tissue loudly. They just grinned at each other, enjoying the moment.

“Your turn!” Rose prompted, grinning. “Be romantic.”

“Now I'm under pressure,” he muttered.

“Just a little,” Rose replied, still grinning.

“Fine ...” He pursed his lips in thought, then began. “Rose Tyler. That’s your name. Rose. Um, Rose Tyler. It’s  good name, isn’t it?”

Awkward silence. Someone coughed.

“Um, what I mean to say is, names are great. And you have a great name. I mean, really, really great.”

Rose stared at him. The Doctor could feel Jackie’s gaze burning into the back of his skull, burning two very precise holes.

He paused. It was a very long pause. “I’m, er, going to start again,” he said, clearing his throat and closing his eyes, dearly not wanting to look at her for fear of distraction. “Rose Tyler … like we’ve already established ... I just … I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to vow that’s really worth anything ... I mean, worth anything real to you or me. I could say something about God, or building a home, or richer and poorer and all that, but we don’t believe in any gods, our home was grown in all senses of the word, not built, and money never made much sense to me. So it’s all pretty meaningless to us. You know that declarations of love never really come easily to me. When I was in the Prydon Academy I wrote a treatise on the chromosomal origins of romantic love, proving that every part of the experience is explained and predicted by chemicals and genetics. My tutor told me I missed the point and gave me a bad grade.”

The crowd laughed. He hadn’t intended that to be funny.

“I mean, I’m not romantic. I’m not very good at being responsible. I’m not very good at trying to give you a peaceful day with no potential life or death threat. And I can’t really vow I’ll do those things because I can’t exactly guarantee it. So I guess, what I vow is that I will always … be your cheese. Be your Shake. You know what I mean. And I like what you said about the heart-body-soul-mind, that sounded great, so I’ll vow that too.

“Maybe I'm not exactly what you envisioned as being your ideal husband when you were a kid. I'm tall, lanky, and I'm an alien. I’m also a massive problem for you, I know. I have a lot of, er, baggage, as you say. When we first met, I hid myself from you a lot. I just wanted you to smile and stay with me. But since then I’ve been able to give myself to you, bit by bit. You know me, you know my head, you know my feelings, and I’ve never felt comfortable enough to do that with anyone else. Whatever we went through, whether I've been crying rivers, screaming with anger, lying sick in bed, or pouring out my soul to you – kind of like I am now – you never judged me, you never got annoyed with me. And that, Rose Tyler, is just a fraction of things I love about you. If I was to go through every single reason that I love you in all the detail it deserves, we'd all still be here next week. So I'm not going to. 

“That’s about it, really. Never stop smiling, please, because then I’ll never stop smiling. Thank you for putting up with me. I know it’s been tough. Hopefully in the future I’ll get easier. Or the past. Whichever one we fancy.”

He finished, opening his eyes to see her standing there in front of him with an unblinking, slightly tearful gaze. After a moment he blinked and straightened, glancing around at the crowd. Her Mum was crying even harder, and a few more people were obviously trying desperately not to well up.

Even the registrar's voice seemed to be trembling slightly, and he'd only known them for three minutes. “May we please have the rings?”

Jack and Martha jumped up instantly, charged with the rings. Martha gave the ring to Rose and moved back to her seat efficiently, while Jack strode confidently up, digging into his pocket on the way. Then suddenly he frowned, and dug deeper. Then he was panicking, frantically checking his pocket with both hands.

“Ring?” the Doctor wondered.

“Err ...” Jack began, looking up at the Doctor's wide expression, pulling a grimace. “Umm ..”

Suddenly Alex came running up to his daddy, holding up a ring between forefinger and thumb.

“There go, Da,” he said, turned and ran off again.

It took the Doctor a moment to process what had just happened, just staring at the ring in his fingers. Then it finally clicked, and his head snapped out to Alex who was now sitting on the chair beside his gran again, who was looking a little more than surprised at her grandson.

“Alex, did you just ...?”

“Go!” Alex insisted, waving his hands.

“Okay, okay!” the Doctor said quickly, taking the stunned Rose's hand to slip the ring on and trying desperately to remember what Jackie had made him memorise and repeat at least hundred times. “Umm ... This ring is a token of my love. I marry you with this ring, with all that I have and all that I am.”

She finally gathered her senses enough to remember what she had to say, trying desperately to concentrate on getting married before the fact Alex had just talked. “I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart.”

She reached to his hand and slipped the ring on.

“What you said back atcha,” Rose told him.

“Same,” he agreed, beaming. 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the registrar said. “You may now kiss your bride.”

The Doctor leant forward and did so, arms wrapping around her and giving her the best kiss he could muster for as long as breath would allow him, which left Rose practically fainted in his arms. Everyone cheered and clapped, still cheering as they both signed the registrar and took each other's hand, securing their grip on each other's hands before walking back down the aisle with confetti raining around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ei wi-lera’mina’kime – I really like cake


	31. The Doctor Dances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor muses on his new role as part of a married couple. They share their first dance.

It was absolutely freezing cold outside, so Jackie made sure the photos were very quick so everyone could get back inside for the wedding dinner. There was only one table because of the number of guests, with everyone locked in conversation with each other while they waited for the food. 

The Doctor, Rose and Jackie were engrossed in talking to the one-year-old boy, who's speaking switch seemed to have just spontaneously flicked on. It was relieving for all of them.

“Hi, Alex!” the Doctor said to him.

“Hi,” Alex said, staring at his father, a little bewildered.

“Hi, Alex!” the Doctor said again, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Hi.”

“Hi!”

“Hi.”

“Hi!”

“Hi.”

“Say Dadda?”

“Dadda.”

“Say 'I love you, Dadda'?”

“I uv voo, Dadda.”

“Say Mama,” Rose said quickly, interrupting anything the Doctor may have said. “Ma-ma.”

“Mama.”

“Say 'I love you, Mama'?”

“I uv voo, Mama.”

“Oh!” Rose enthused, taking him from the Doctor and giving him a massive hug and a kiss. “Well done, you did it!”

“'Kay,” Alex said, voice muffled with his face now in his mum's shoulder.

“Oh, we're all so proud of you!” Jackie said happily, wrenching him from his mother to hold him and plant kisses all over his face. “You're such a big boy now, aren't you? Aren't you? You're talkin' now, sweetheart! You'll be usin' big words soon!”

The Doctor watched the boy struggling desperately in his gran's arm to try and slip out. Eventually he managed to wriggle free and instantly ran back over to his dad, reaching up to be taken onto his lap for protection.

The Doctor laughed and picked him up, kissing him. “Love you.”

“'Kay,” Alex said again, reaching up to try and grab his hair.

“Oh, I wish your gran could've seen that, sweetheart,” Jackie told Rose gently. “She'd have loved it.”

Rose nodded, looking down at her wedding dress and grinning happily at it. “Thanks so much for arrangin' everythin', Mum, it's all been so perfect.”

“Well, muggins 'ere didn't 'ave a clue what he was supposed to do so I 'ad to save it,” she told her, gesturing at the Doctor who was far too absorbed in talking to Alex to listen to what she was saying.

Rose giggled, just as a loud whine came from next to her. She and her Mum looked over to see Leah sitting there, clutching her knife and fork and staring at her empty plate.

“I'm hungry!” she complained.

“It'll be here soon, sweetheart,” Jackie assured her.

“But I want it now.”

“In a minute, love.”

“What are we having?” Leah asked, looking up.

“Fish and chips for you, darling,” Jackie told her.

“What are  _ we  _ having?” the Doctor suddenly said, interested.

“Fish and chips!” Jackie repeated. “No point gettin' expensive posh stuff nobody likes, eh? Got it in from the chippy.”

“Good call,” Jack said, leaning to them, then looking at Alex. “Hi, Alex!”

“Hi,” Alex replied.

“Can you say 'Uncle Jack'?”

Alex stared at him for a moment. “Unka Ja.”

“Close enough,” he enthused, grinning and ruffling Alex's hair. 

“'K,” Alex replied, and snuggled into his father further.

“Thank you for saving my life,” the Doctor told him seriously.

Alex just nodded and hugged him tighter as there was a sudden shriek of delight from Leah. The food had finally arrived.

* * *

 

Everyone ate the fish and chips and the dessert extremely quickly. After everyone had eaten Jack tapped his glass with a spoon, and stood up to get everyone's attention for a speech.

“Speech time,” he said, holding up a glass. “Now, as best man, not that he's actually told me that but I'm gonna assume that's what I am,” Jack began, holding his wine glass in the air and grinning. “I gotta say, what a really beautiful wedding. Hands together for Jackie, everyone!”

Everyone clapped appropriately as Jackie blush deeply.

“I think everyone will agree with me, though these two have been practically married for five years with two great kids, I don't think we really thought they'd actually do this. But I'm happy they have. Since I met them all those years ago and Rose had a Union Jack across her chest in the middle of the Blitz and ...”

“What?!” Jackie suddenly shrieked, looking at Rose, who looked away quickly.

Jack continued, regardless. “... And the Doctor was this seriously intimidating northerner with big ears and his leather jacket, I saw this little spark between them. It took them long enough to get it together but I am so,  _ so _ sure that they are pretty much perfect for each other and I don't think we ever imagined it any other way. So everyone ...” He raised his glass high in the air, and everyone followed suit. “Raise your glasses to Rose Tyler and the Doctor, my two best friends and the greatest people in the universe.”

Everyone cheered in agreement and toasted to that.

“Now the groom will make a speech,” Jack finished with a beaming smile, nudging the Doctor. 

The Doctor looked up at him with wide eyes. “The groom's going to what now?” he asked, but before he could run out the exit Jack grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him to his feet. “what a minute, I thought I only had to do one …”  He trailed off, as he realised everyone was staring at him. He had to say something. “Err ...” he began, staring around at the crowd of faces staring at him expectantly. “Well, I suppose, thank you all for coming. It's been a brilliant day ... It really has. Thank you to Jackie for sorting it out when I clearly had no idea.” He paused, looking at the table before looking up again, taking a breath. “These past couple of months have been ...” He paused again, searching for the appropriate word. “... Difficult, but everyone's really been ... just fantastic. My mum got it right I think, I'm an alien in this little group of humans and you've just accepted me into your lives like one of you and I ... I'm really grateful for that. Thanks for giving me a new home.”

He dropped down, slightly red in the face, and as everyone clapped and Rose hugged him and kissed him. Then she stood up, beaming.

“My turn!” she exclaimed. “Actually I just wanted to talk for a bit about the people that aren't here today. My gran for one, and Granddad Prentice, my real dad, and the Doctor's parents. Who turned out to be pretty amazin' in the end. I know his Mum would've loved to be here, and she'd have loved to see Alex talkin'. But you know, that's all in the past. Today's about the future, yeah? I think 2013 is gonna be amazin'. I've got a load of New Year's Resolutions to promise my new husband and things are gonna be great. We might not have many blood relations around but we're so lucky to have you all as our friends, plus we've still got Leah, Alex and now Kiana, who we're gonna raise as our own. That's all I wanted to say really. Thank you for bein' here, I've had an amazin' day.”

Everyone nodded and clapped again, cheering that.

“Leah?” Jack prompted the four-year-old, who was in the midst of trying to get rid of the chocolate from her dessert caked on her face. She nodded and stood up on her chair, accepting a slip of paper from Jack. Rose looked confused, but the Doctor was smiling a little evilly to himself, taking his glass of wine to hide his face behind it.

“This is from Mummy's diary when she was seven,” Leah began to the crowd, and Rose's face dropped like a stone ... “I saw on Eastenders today this thing Mummy called a wedding. Mummy says when I grow up I'm gonna have a really big wedding with lots of flowers and stuff. She said the bigger the ring the better the boy. She said to marry a doctor or something because they're rich and have big houses. I don't like boys, they're smelly. I'll get married so I can wear a pretty dress then I'll divorce like Ross on Friends then live on my own in a big house with a dog called Bradley.”

Everyone was in fits of laughter and even more so when the very red Rose looked at the very guilty-looking Doctor and shoved him, her jaw agape. He just giggled insanely.

“Let's go party!” Jackie exclaimed, holding up a glass of wine, plainly already quite tipsy before she headed in the vague direction of the door to the reception area to get back to the Hub for the party.

* * *

 

“Oh, Jack, sweetheart, I'm so sorry!” a very drunk Jackie exclaimed as she walked into him for the fourth time that night, almost spilling her drink all over him.

“Don't worry, no harm done,” Jack said, pulling away and taking her shoulder to straighten her up. “You all right?” he asked seriously as she struggled to find a centre of balance.

She ignored the question, just gazing into his eyes. “You know, you're welcome to come back to my place tonight ... You're bloody gorgeous,” were the words Jack managed to make out through the slurs.

Jack just smiled politely at that. “Sorry, bit busy. How about that guy over there?” he said, pointing to Ianto. As Jackie turned to look he made a run for it to where the Doctor was sitting on the floor against the wall.

“Here,” Jack said, sitting down next to him and giving him a plate of food and a cup of orange juice. The Doctor accepted it gratefully, with slightly uncoordinated hand movements. “Little drunk?” Jack wondered, grinning.

“I think Jackie spiked the drink,” the Doctor muttered, regarding the seemingly harmless orange juice.

Jack persisted with his grin. “Well, she's pretty drunk already. I just got an invitation to go home with her tonight.”

The Doctor smiled at that, munching on a canapé. 

“You okay?” Jack wondered seriously.

The Doctor nodded. “It's been a good day.”

Jack nodded in return. “How does it feel to be married?”

“Exactly the same as not being married,” the Doctor replied simply. 

“So you wouldn't recommend it?”

The Doctor looked at him for a moment, then continued on his canapés. “Why, are you thinking about it?” 

Jack shrugged. “Dunno.”

“Do it,” the Doctor said shortly. Jack opened his mouth to protest, but the Doctor cut over him. “Come on, I've been watching you and Ianto tonight, you quite clearly love each other. If you're already thinking about it then make it happen.”

“Getting married is a pretty big thing, Doctor.”

“Is it?” the Doctor wondered, finishing the last of the canapés and starting on the peanuts. “A wedding doesn't really mean anything.”

“Well, maybe not to your alien self,” Jack replied. “If you don't believe in it why did you do this?”

“I did it for Rose,” the Doctor answered simply. “She said she didn't mind not getting married, but I was reading her diaries and there's so much in there about growing up to have a dream wedding. All the way from the part Leah read to her being sixteen. I just wanted to give that to her because it means so much to her. And don't change the subject.”

Jack sighed. “Well, I ... I'm immortal ... he's not.”

“And that worries you? I'm certainly going to outlive Rose unless I get hit by a bus four times in seventy years. And you know what her dying will do to me through the bond.”

Jack regarded him for a moment. “You love her a lot. I mean, I already know you do but ... To just know that at the end you're gonna go insane and your brain is gonna fall to pieces but still doing it.”

“That's what makes this easy. I just know I want to be with her and share my life with her for as long as I can. If I go insane at the end, then that's an unfortunate side effect but there's nothing I can do about it. I've got no regrets. But ... if marrying means a lot to you and you don't understand what I just said, maybe you shouldn't. Maybe he's just not perfect for you.”

Jack fell silent. 

The Doctor looked at him. “But you know, what I've seen between you ... If it's not perfection it's pretty close. I'd do it.”

Jack met his eyes, pulling a half-smile. “Y'know, you talk a lot of sense when you're drunk.”

“If only all my previous bodies could see me now ...” the Doctor muttered. “Drunk, sitting on the floor in a suit of the reception of my own wedding to a human on 21 st century Earth.”

“They'd be jealous,” Jack assured him with a grin and leant forward to hug him just as the lights in the Hub went down and some disco lighting started up.

“Oh, my cue,” the Doctor muttered, trying to get up but mostly falling sideways. Jack laughed and grabbed him under the arms, pulling him onto his feet. He swayed a little, then finding his centre of balance. 

“Legs okay?” Jack wondered.

The Doctor nodded. “Bearable. Can you find Rose?”

Jack was off in a flash as the Doctor moved in amongst the crowds of drunk people to get to the centre. He looked up to Mickey being the DJ, and gave a thumbs up. Mickey gave a return thumbs up and began to fiddle with the computer.

“Jack said you wanted me?” came Rose's voice from behind him, and the Doctor turned to see her, absolutely beautiful in her wedding dress.

He smiled a little drunkenly at her, pulling her into a hug and holding her close. Rose noticed the dance floor was clearing, people forming into a giant circle around them.

“Oh god, we're not ...?”

He grinned at her, then looked over at Mickey who nodded in return, quickly bending down to the computer again. Rose frowned, looking at the Time Lord with confusion. He just grinned and took her hand with one hand and her hip with the other in a dance pose.

“What're you ...” she began.

“You wanted romance, I'll give you romance,” he said simply, and the music started up.

“ _ Imagine me and you, I do ... I think about you day and night, it's only right ... To think about the girl you love, and hold her tight. So happy together ...” _

He began to dance with her, holding himself against her, foreheads pressed together as they gazed into each other's eyes. 

Jack grinned at the sight, noticing everyone had stopped to watch them now. Even the drunk Jackie had stopped trying to grope a terrified-looking Ianto to watch the dance.

“ _ Me and you and you and me ... No matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be ... The only one for me is you, and you for me ... So happy together ...” _

Suddenly Jack's vortex manipulator started vibrating, buzzing quietly. He frowned slightly, just wondering how he could use that with Ianto before flipping it open and looking at the screen.

**Tell my past self the message now.**

He blinked in surprise. He hadn't set that alert. Was it the future Doctor? Had he messed with his manipulator? The cheek!

He looked up at the dancing couple. He didn't want to interrupt them ... 

“ _ I can't see me lovin' nobody but you, for all my life ... When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue, for all my life ...” _

His manipulator vibrated again. He looked down.

**You're just standing there, aren't you?! Tell him, Harkness!**

Jack frowned slightly, a little confused. 

“ _ Ba-ba-ba bah, ba-ba-ba bah ...” _

It vibrated again.

**You're unbelievable, you still haven't moved yet, have you?**

“ _ Ba-ba-ba bah, ba-ba-ba bah ...” _

**Hurry up! You've got twenty seconds before we all get swallowed up in a paradox!**

Jack started forward, pushing his way through the crowd to get to the Doctor and Rose.

“ _ So happy together ...” _

“Doctor, message for you,” Jack said urgently.

The Doctor drew back from kissing Rose, raising his eyebrow slightly. “Little busy,” he replied with just a hint of sarcasm, before resuming what he was doing.

“Doc,” Jack grated, pulling him off of Rose with a violent yank.

The Doctor yelped, almost stumbling over his own feet.

“ _ Ba-ba-ba bah, ba-ba-ba bah ...”  _ the music continued in the backgorund.

“Jack, what are you …?”

“Doctor,” Jack interrupted, grabbing him by the shoulders and pushing him into the wall, completely winding him.

“Jack!” Rose yelped in alarm, jumping forward but he held up his hand.

“Sorry. I'm under strict orders.”

“By who?” the Doctor breathed.

“You.”

“Um, what?”

“There's no time to explain. But you told me that on the 10 th December 2012 at this exact time I had to give you a message. The message is this.” He dug into his pocket and drew out the note he'd been given by the future Doctor so long ago, handing it to the present Doctor. “And you told me to tell you that it's a code ten.”

The Doctor suddenly stiffened, staring at the note Jack had shoved in his hand. 

“ _ So happy together ...” _

“What does that mean?” Rose asked quickly.

The Doctor didn't answer her. He slowly opened the note, and read the words, written in his own handwriting.

**The reign of Echo will begin.**

He stared unblinkingly at the paper, absolutely frozen on the spot.

“ _ Ba-ba-ba bah, ba-ba-ba bah ...” _

“Doctor? Doctor!” Rose demanded of him, feeling the panic escalate in her husband.

He looked up at her, his eyes wide. “Kiana's in the Tardis, right?”

“Yeah, what ...?”

“Get Alex and go back to the Tardis. I'll get Leah.”

“What?”

“Do it, NOW!” he roared. Rose knew when not to mess with him, and ran off at the speed of light, everyone staring at them, muttering to each other in confusion.

“ _ We're happy together ...” _

“Leah!” the Doctor yelled, looking around the room. 

“Daddy?” Leah appeared through the throng of the crowd, slightly apprehensive.

“Come here!” he ordered and instantly the little girl was at his side. He picked her up and glanced around for Rose who was already appearing back out of the transfixed crowd holding Alex. He nodded to her and turned to make back to the TARDIS in a hurry.

“Doctor!” Jack tried again, running after him out of the door to where the TARDIS was parked. “Doctor what's code ten?!”

The Doctor again didn't reply, pushing open the door and beckoning for Rose to get inside. He set Leah down and gestured for her to run into the TARDIS.

“DOCTOR!” Jack yelled, trying desperately to be acknowledged.

“ _ So happy together ...” _

The Doctor finally looked at him, regarding Jack standing there staring at him. His expression turned, his eyes suddenly saddening. Then to Jack's complete surprise he dived forward and hugged him tightly. After a few moments he drew back and stared at him a little more, hands resting on Jack's arms.

Then he let go, stepping back to the TARDIS.

“... See you in hell,” the Doctor said, echoing the very words Jack had told him back on Satellite Five before Jack had walked to his death. And with that, he turned and ran into the TARDIS, slamming the door closed behind him. 

“ _ Ba-ba-ba bah ...” _

Jack just stared, utterly shocked before the TARDIS began to churn, and eventually faded from existence.

“ _... Ba-ba-ba bah.” _

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued in "Echoes", which is my favourite of the series, I have to admit :D I don't imagine the reworking of it will take long, this one was quite a fight xD


End file.
